Brown Panther has emerged as a genuine Melbourne Cup contender with victory in the Goodwood Cup for retired football superstar Michael Owen.

The former England international bred Brown Panther from his cherished mare Treble Heights and his five-year-old has already provided a Royal Ascot victory as well as a placing in the St Leger.

Owen and trainer Tom Dascombe flagged the Melbourne Cup as the aim after Brown Panther beat a large field of stayers by 3-1/2 lengths.

"As long as he didn't bomb out today we were thinking Irish St Leger and then Melbourne Cup. I haven't talked to Tom or Bert (Black, joint owner) but I don't see why we should change our mind," Owen said.

Starting over the Melbourne Cup distance - two miles (3200m) - for just the second time, Brown Panther (13-2) was not ridden cautiously by Richard Kingscote and secured a healthy advantage a furlong (200m) from home, while several of his colleagues were rather too restrained.

Jamie Spencer was a long way behind aboard last year's Melbourne Cup fifth placegetter Mount Athos turning for home and could not trigger much response from the 3-1 favourite who finished eights.

"It's fabulous, especially as you look at the heritage of this race going back 200 years," Owen said.

"He hasn't been over-raced and I suppose there were headlines about him after his win at Ascot, I suppose because of him being associated with me.

"It's a totally different experience to football, where you feel you're in some sort of control, it's in your hands, but this racing game is so tough on the nerves - you're powerless.

"You send your jockey out to ride and you hope your trainer has got him spot-on. Tom and Richard have done a brilliant job, as well as Andrew Jackson who rides him out every day."