The connections of Highland Reel have been extended an invitation to run the three-year-old in the Cox Plate.

An original nomination for the Group One race at Moonee Valley on October 24, Highland Reel earned his owners an official invite for the weight-for-age contest after his win in the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington last Sunday.

Highland Reel is trained by Aidan O'Brien who prepared Adelaide to win last year's Cox Plate and is one of three nominations from the stable, joined by Cougar Mountain and Ol' Man River.

Adelaide won the Secretariat Stakes last year and then ran third in the Prix Niel (2400m) at Longchamp in France last September before his Cox Plate success with Highland Reel expected to follow a similar path.

Highland Reel has an Australian connection being from the Danehill mare Hveger, a sister to Elvstroem and a half-sister to Haradasun.

There were 12 original invitations extended to international competitors with the Peter Chapple-Hyam Arod and the OTI Racing-owned Gailo Chop two of those that feature in Cox Plate nominations.

"Moonee Valley has issued an invitation to Highland Reel to come over for the Cox Plate," Racing Victoria's international scout Leigh Jordon told Melbourne radio station RSN.

"I'll talk with Aidan and the owners and discuss the options and hopefully they'll come out again and I'm hopeful of them bringing out a Melbourne Cup horse as well."

Jordon said Kingfisher, second to Trip To Paris in the Ascot Gold Cup, could is one he is keeping an eye on with a view to the Melbourne Cup.