The much-travelled Adelaide is looked upon as the international representative to finally prise the Cox Plate away from Australia and it would seem the second outside barrier could be the only reason for the horse's undoing. 

After drawing barrier 13 of 14 on Tuesday, Adelaide slipped from favouritism in betting for Saturday's $3 million Cox Plate. But Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter said Australian racegoers should expect a much-travelled and seasoned racehorse that is certain to adapt to the situation.

"He [Adelaide] has very good credentials. He probably should have nearly won at his last start in France, and for a horse of his age he has pretty much travelled the world," Carpenter said.

"He has raced in England, Ireland, France and America, all against group company and Adelaide also has the bonus of having 2400-metre form, which will stand the horse in good stead under the rigours of the Cox Plate distance."

The Aidan O'Brien-trained galloper completed his final piece of fast work at Werribee on Tuesday morning ahead of Saturday's race and with regular rider David Bergin in the saddle, Adelaide breezed home over 800 metres in 48 seconds, the final 400 metres in 25.23 seconds.

"We are 100 per cent on target and are absolutely delighted with every aspect of his preparation," said Coolmore spokesman James Bester, who described Adelaide as "probably top of the heap now" at Coolmore after the recent retirement of Epsom Derby winner Australia.

"The horse is well and they are delighted with the way he worked," he said.

Bester said it would now come down to how Adelaide adapted to the Moonee Valley circuit, the likes of which he has not seen before on his international travels, although he has raced successfully on tight tracks in the past.

Earlier in the year, Adelaide won the group 1 Secretariat Stakes (2012 metres) at Arlington, which has a 1600-metre grass track, and ran second over the same trip in the group 1 Belmont Derby Invitational.

"Arlington was a tight, left-handed track, as was Belmont, but that said, Moonee Valley is a particularly quirky kind of track in international terms with a very short straight," Bester said.

"If you all just sat and then sprinted in the straight, it would be a different story, but we know that [in the Cox Plate] from the 800 metres particularly, and from the 600 metres, they pour on the pressure."

While many of the Cox Plate contenders were at Breakfast with the Best at Moonee Valley on Tuesday, due to quarantine restrictions Adelaide will not get his first look at the track until he arrives on Saturday.

However Bester said he believed the son of Galileo would not be overawed.

"He's used to getting out of his established routine and surroundings and one would hope that would stand him in good stead," he said. "That gladiatorial arena and amphitheatre is not something he has experienced - or the crowds in so confined a space - but he's got a wonderful temperament and he takes most things in his stride.

"We wouldn't have any excuses on the score of preparation or acclimatisation, but race day is a different thing."

While Bester says barrier 13 is "not ideal", he could certainly see some positives.

"I'd certainly rather be drawn in there than in barrier three where you are likely to get cluttered up," he said, with Bester putting Adelaide's last-start third in the Prix Niel at Longchamp (2400 metres) down to being trapped on the inside.

"It's the horse that comes out of the barrier, not what barrier you draw."

With the likely leader The Cleaner drawn just outside him, Bester said he was hopeful that Adelaide would be able to follow the Tasmanian galloper across the field and then get some cover, but that task will be left to his rider Ryan Moore, who arrives in Melbourne on Thursday evening.

"He's got a world-class jockey, a truly international jockey who adapts to all circumstances, as he showed when he won the Canadian International at the weekend.

"A cool head on the jockey and cool head on the horse. I think they'll handle it."

A northern hemisphere three-year-old, but a four-year-old in local terms, Adelaide will have to carry 56 kilograms against the 49.5 kilograms for the local three-year-olds, who are about six months younger. But Bester is not concerned.

"Don't forget Aidan [O'Brien] sent Mahler out here [in 2007] as a three-year-old to contest the Melbourne Cup and he ran very well, he ran third.

"He wouldn't do this lightly [targeting the Cox Plate]; this horse is up to it in terms of ability and temperament."

Having said that Bester said there was still plenty of improvement to come from Adelaide, who has been partially sold to Australian interests, including John Ingham, and will be joining the Chris Waller stable for his next preparation.

"The feeling is that he's getting better and better and will reach his peak in the autumn in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes."