Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby reaffirmed his desire to bring Barney Roy to Melbourne for this year's spring carnival after the six-year-old gelding was placed at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.

Barney Roy ($9) finished third, five lengths behind impressive winner Lord North ($6) but just over a length from dual Australian Group 1 winner Addeybb ($4.50) in the £250,000 Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes (2004m).

“He saw the trip out well. I don’t think that we will be going any further than a mile and a quarter (2000 metres) and it would be nice if we stick to our long-term program with him, which was to take him out to Australia," Appleby said.

"I think he will be a fun horse to take out there. We will see where we are come the autumn and if we can travel with him.”

Appleby was eager for Barney Roy to campaign in Australia last spring but his plans were halted by a minor setback. He has raced three times this year for two wins in Dubai, including the Group 1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) at Meydan on March 7, before Wednesday's placing.

“Barney Roy has run another solid race and, if you take the winner out, there is not much between the rest of them," Appleby said.

"We were concerned whether there was going to be much pace in the race as he tends to latch on the bridle a bit."

Barney Roy won the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes (1603m) during Royal Ascot 2017 for trainer Richard Hannon and retired to stud at the end of that year but was infertile. He has won three of six starts, all at stakes level, since returning to training for Appleby.

Racing Victoria's international wish list for this year's spring carnival is already half full, with just over half a dozen spots left up for grabs for Melbourne's feature races.

A cap of 16 horses will be allowed on the plane to Melbourne this spring, but RV's general manager of international and racing operations Paul Bloodworth says at least eight of those spots have been filled.

Connections of 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter, multiple Melbourne Cup placegetter Prince Of Arran and last year's Mackinnon Stakes winner Magic Wand have all told Bloodworth they're intending to return, while Lloyd Williams' contingent is expected to contain Twilight Payment, Master Of Reality and Buckhurst at minimum.

OTI Racing mare True Self, winner of last year's Queen Elizabeth, is also intending to come, while Charlie Appleby has long hoped Barney Roy would contend a Melbourne Cup.

"We have 16 spots and so it will be the top 16 on ratings, but all those above should get in," Bloodworth said.

Instead of the usual two, only one shipment from Europe will head to Australia this season, and the earlier of those, which arrives a fortnight before Caulfield Guineas Day on Saturday, October 10, has been cancelled.

This is to accommodate horses running on Irish Champions Weekend or at the St Leger meeting before heading to Australia. The shipment will leave after that action-packed weekend of racing.

The shipment can carry 32 horses to Australia. Half of the horses will be transferred to local stables with the remainder to stay with their original stables – permission is still required for grooms to travel because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Caulfield Stakes – won by Godolphin's Benbatl in 2018 – has been used as a key stepping stone for the Cox Plate in recent seasons while Melbourne Cup horses have emerged from the Herbert Power Stakes, another race no longer available for European challengers.

The Group 2 event, run over 1m4f, has been popular with British and Irish raiders in the last few seasons. Prince Of Arran has finished third (2018) and second (2019) in the race, while Simenon and Raheen House have also run in the Herbert Power in recent years.

Paul Bloodworth, Racing Victoria's general manager of international operations, told Racing.com: "We normally would have two shipments – one to arrive on Grand Final Day in late September and one to arrive on Caulfield Guineas Day two weeks later.

"In the past they [first shipment] have come out of quarantine on Guineas Day and they've had quite a few runners on the day over the past few years but, with just the one shipment this year, we've taken the decision to allow horses to race in the Irish and English St Legers as well as the Irish Champion Stakes that weekend too.

"A lot of the horses that came last year and ended up in the Cups ran on that day, including Magic Wand, who ran in the Irish Champion and came for the Cox Plate and then for Flemington.

"So, with only one shipment, we made the decision that it would be silly not to allow horses that ran on that day to come."

Nine international runners featured on the card on Guineas Day in 2019.

Ireland's famous O'Brien family makes up the majority of the international entries for October’s 100th Cox Plate with an incredible 22 nominations spread across three stables out of the 28 international entries received by Tuesday's noon deadline.

Despite uncertainty around international participation owing to COVID-19 restrictions, the number of internationally trained entries remains the same as recent years, with a wealth of entries from Aidan O'Brien and his sons Joseph and Donnacha.

Overall, there were 182 entries received for the Cox Plate and although 28 of those were for international runners, ultimately the number of overseas raiders will depend largely on whether European trainers or their leading hands can attend.

Currently, horses are flying into Melbourne from Europe but they do so without specific handlers and if that restriction remains, there is a huge doubt on a number of the potential participants.

Aidan O'Brien, the 2014 Cox Plate-winning trainer, has nominated 13 horses including 2019 contender Magic Wand and stable stars Japan and Magical, while his sons Joseph and Donnacha have entered eight and one horse respectively.

Aidan O'Brien's horses have been travelling to Melbourne most years under the care of O'Brien's trusted right-hand man T.J. Comerford but if he is not permitted to come with the horses, there is a major doubt on whether O'Brien will send any of them.

As for Joseph O'Brien, his nominations are for part-owner Lloyd Williams and if only the horses are permitted to travel, Williams could place them with a local trainer.

Given the COVID-19 restrictions on human travel, it was confirmed that it is highly unlikely this year's carnival will feature any international riders as each rider would be forced to serve two weeks' quarantine during a time when there are rich carnivals in other parts of the world.

Included among the Cox Plate entries are 51 Group 1 winners, 42 Southern Hemisphere three-year-olds and 14 Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds.

Headlining the Australian contingent is Danny O'Brien's Lexus Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare and his boom stablemate Russian Camelot, Queensland hero Alligator Blood and the inaugural two winners of The All-Star Mile, Mystic Journey and Regal Power.

Racing Victoria Executive General Manager - Racing, Greg Carpenter, said of the entries for the $5 million contest: "There is incredible diversity in the list of entries, which pleasingly represents all states of Australia and lots of star power, so the foundation is there for a race befitting such an historic occasion.

"The quality of international entries remains strong despite the current COVID-19 restrictions and the next month will ultimately determine whether these internationals horses can compete in the 100th Cox Plate."

Moonee Valley Racing Club chief executive, Michael Browell, said: "Despite all the challenges that have been presented so far, today 182 dreams are alive to take out the legendary 2020 Ladbrokes Cox Plate in a year we are celebrating a significant milestone with the 100th running of our great race.

"The club is pleased to see internationals declaring their interest to compete in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, but they will face strong competition from many stables across Australia and New Zealand determined to see their horse's name on the honour roll of legends."

Other notable points of interest among the list of Cox Plate entries include:

• There are eight horses that contested the 2019 Cox Plate nominated - Magic Wand (4th), Mystic Journey (5th), Kings Will Dream (6th), Harlem (8th), Cape of Good Hope (10th), Homesman (11th), Verry Elleegant (12th) and Danceteria (14th);

• Four-time Cox Plate-winning trainer Chris Waller has entered a race-high 18 horses, headlined by star mares Verry Elleegant and Funstar and including recent stable acquisition, dual Cox Plate placegetter Humidor;

• Last season's G1-winning juveniles Farnan (Golden Slipper), King's Legacy (Sires Produce and Champagne Stakes) and Tagaloa (Blue Diamond) are among the 42 Southern Hemisphere three-year-old entries along with Magic Millions-winning filly Away Game;

• Joining Russian Camelot among the 14 Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds on the entry list are 2020 G1 winners Kameko (2000 Guineas); Peaceful (Irish 1000 Guineas) and Fancy Blue (Prix de Diane and Nassau Stakes);

• The New Zealand-trained entries are spearheaded by Horse of the Year Melody Belle, and a classy group of four-year-olds including her stablemate Probabeel, Australian Derby winner Quick Thinker and New Zealand Oaks winner Jennifer Eccles; and

• Master Of Wine, Surprise Baby, King Of Leogrance and Oceanex are among the leading contenders for the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup and Lexus Melbourne Cup that have been nominated for the weight-for-age showdown.

First acceptances for the Cox Plate will be taken at noon on September 8.