Danny O'Brien has revealed that genetic testing on his Melbourne Cup favourite Russian Camelot shows he could be best suited over a middle distance range rather than the extreme staying test of the 3200m Cup.

Newly turned four-year-old Russian Camelot is one of the most exciting up-and-coming gallopers in Australia and got everyone sitting up and taking notice when he blew them away in the Group I South Australian Derby (2500m) in May.

Corporate bookmakers Sportsbet and Ladbrokes both have the son of Camelot as the $10 Melbourne Cup favourite.

However it's interesting to note what genetic testing has revealed about Russian Camelot.

Just like O�Brien did in the journey towards Vow And Declare becoming the 2019 Melbourne Cup winner, among the tools he uses in trying to identify the best races for his horses is a speed-gene test developed by Irish equine science group Plusvital.

He sends vials of blood to Ireland for tests which analyse a horse�s DNA to establish the best distance at which it should race.

It has shown Russian Camelot to be in the C:T category - horses who perform best in the 1400m-2599m range yet under-perform at trips over 2600m or longer.

O'Brien will learn more about Russian Camelot in the early stages of the spring (he is set to resume in the Group I Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 12).

However the genetic testing could help frame his thinking in terms of a spring program.

"He's a C:T so he's the middle distance category which means up to 2400(m) is probably their best distance," O'Brien said.

"He is probably at his best at 2000-2400(m) whereas Vow And Declare is T:T which is the extreme distance category.

"At up to 2400(m), Russian Camelot might have more capability than Vow And Declare but beyond 2400(m), Vow is more genetically predisposed than Russian Camelot at those distances."

Asked whether that could mean the Cox Plate at 2040m, in which Russian Camelot is currently an equal $11 favourite, was a more likely spring goal, O'Brien replied:

"We are hopeful that he is good enough for a Cox Plate.

"The horse has only run five times and I don't recall a South Australian Derby winner bouncing out of that and winning a Cox Plate in recent history, certainly in my lifetime.

"He hasn't got a Cox Plate profile as yet.

"People are rightly excited about the horse because he's lightly raced - the graph he is on at the moment is heading upwards, but he's got to keep that trend going to even contemplate going towards a Cox Plate.

"We will all know pretty early in the spring.

"He will run in the Makybe Diva and then more than likely the Turnbull Stakes so those two races are usually really good guides to the rest of the spring.

"I will know, the owners will know, the public will know and the press will know - everyone will know what the best way is to head with him after those two starts I'd imagine.

"If he can win or run very well in either or both then we will probably run him (in a Cox Plate) otherwise he has got Handicaps he can fall back into."

O'Brien was delighted on Friday when he took Vow And Declare and Russian Camelot, who rarely work against each other, for a gallop between races at Geelong.

While a Melbourne Cup defence is the ultimate aim for Vow And Declare, it will be fascinating to see whether Russian Camelot could potentially chase a Cox Plate or also target the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.