After a week at Kembla, Ritchie will head back to Ballarat this morning to strap the big four-year-old at Caulfield. Her first job will be to take a brush to him.

"That's one thing Paul doesn't do that well - brush him," Ritchie said. "I have a particular way I do it and he knows that I'll be making sure he looks great.

"As soon as I get there I will start because I know he wouldn't have been done properly this week."

Predatory Pricer completed his preparation with a couple of quiet laps of the sand track at Ballarat with Murray in the saddle.

"He said (Predatory Pricer) is as good as he has ever had him," Ritchie said. "I can't wait to get down there and get him ready for the Cup."

Predatory Pricer was $9 on the second line of betting with TAB Sportsbet behind equal $8 favourites European raiders Kirklees and Cima De Triomphe.

Ritchie will follow a similar routine with the son of Street Cry as she has in his four runs in Melbourne, putting some stars on his hindquarters.

"I always do that and make sure his feet are painted and that there isn't a hair out of place," Ritchie said. "It's kind of like going to the beauty parlour for him.

"He will stand there and let me brush him but if he doesn't like it he runs over the top of me. He is very strong and has walked over me a couple of times."

There is an award for the best turned out Caulfield horse but Ritchie would rather success on the track.