Hickman looking to the Future with Cup hopeful

The eight-year-old, who contested Australia's most famous race in 2023, has been competing in great heart this season, stringing together a hat-trick of wins for former trainer Ciaron Maher over the summer before an ownership change led him to join Greg Hickman's team.

In two runs for his new conditioner, he has finished a close fourth in the Chairman's Handicap (2000m) at Doomben and third in the Lord Mayor's Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm.

With those efforts under his belt, Future History is ready to peak, albeit Hickman admits the burly gelding has taken more work to get fit than expected.

"We've just had to learn a little bit about him," Hickman said.

"When he came in, he was 600 kilos. I have worked him hard all week and he's put on six kilos, so he's a big boy.

"It has been a month between runs, but I did a fair bit with him Saturday week ago and his work was exceptional. Touch wood, everything has been perfect."

Future History is a winner up to 2800 metres and Hickman expects him to relish stretching out to 2400 metres in Saturday's Tattersall's Cup at Eagle Farm.

While he has the outside gate in the eight-horse field, he did make the running in his three staying wins over the summer, although Hickman is content to leave a decision on tactics to jockey Nash Rawiller.

Future History was a narrow $3.30 favourite ahead of Pounding ($3.40) on Thursday and if victorious, connections would look to firm up plans for a Lexus Melbourne Cup program in the spring.

"This race has been the main target this campaign," Hickman said.

"If he was to race well on Saturday and then come home, he would have a freshen up and then go to Melbourne."

The past three winners of the Lexus Melbourne Cup – Half Yours, Knight's Choice and Without A Fight – all came off Brisbane winter carnival campaigns.