Nugent took the unusual and highly-ambitious step of nominating his brown three-year-old Spinning World (USA)-Del du Jour colt for the spring features.

When nominations closed on Tuesday at noon, Nugent had entered Try Pickle for the $6 million Melbourne Cup, the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup, the $3 million Cox Plate and $1 million Caulfield Guineas.

Coincidentally Nugent has Try Pickle entered for a $1000m maiden at Geelong's synthetic track tomorrow.

Nugent said long-time owner Nick Conidi, of Melbourne, was keen to have the colt entered in the major spring races.

"He's going to have a start at Geelong on Friday. He's a really nice type of horse. He's a bit immature and we thought about racing him as a two-year-old but he was never going to run," he said.

"Nick wanted to nominate him and if you're not in it you can't be part of it. I like Try Pickle, but as I say he's immature. Down the track I think he'll make a decent stayer.

"Probably next year he should be at his best. Nick thought we may as well nominate him but personally I would have concentrated on next year."

The Irishman, who moved to Australia 12 years ago, said his stable star Think Tank was also heading towards the spring races when he went amiss at Moe mid last month.

He said one of trainer Bart Cummings' owners, Dato Tan Chin Nam, who had a share in dual Melbourne Cup winner Think Big and champion Saintly, was a major owner in Think Tank.

"He just wanted someone who could train a stayer," Nugent, 49, said with a laugh.

Cummings has a dozen horses entered in the Melbourne Cup this year and is chasing a 13th cup win. Nugent, who has moved from Codrington to Killarney "because it sounds more Irish", said he had five horses in work and another five prospective jumpers in the paddock.

He said he would eagerly watch the remaining three jumps race meetings of the season but suggested the future of the sport was looking bright.

"I certainly hope it keeps going. We've got some real nice jumping types for next season and we've all got our fingers crossed," he said.