Leading Melbourne trainer Mick Price believes that imported stayer Bit Of Hell is good enough to be a Caulfield Cup contender during the 2013 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

The Irish-bred import is set to resume in the Open Handicap over 1600 metres at Caulfield on Saturday and although Price doesn’t think that the four-year-old will be a contender this weekend the veteran trainer still has a high opinion of the horse’s ability.

“I’d like to think he could make the Caulfield Cup,” Price told TVN.

“I think he’s going to be underdone this week and I reckon that the mile will a touch too long first-up.

“He’ll improve as he goes along the campaign.”

After competing on Saturday, Bit Of Hell will return to Caulfield on August 31 for the Listed Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) before stepping up to take on the big guns in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at the same venue on September 21.

Although the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19 is the major spring aim for the son of Hurricane Run, Price has also included a nomination for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26.

Bit of Hell never raced above Listed level during his racing career in Italy but finished in the placings in each of his thirteen starts.

He made his Australian racing debut in the The Chase Hotel Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on May 25 and ran on well for a late-closing second place finish behind classy John Singleton-owned gelding Strawberry Boy.

Mick Price is chasing his first Caulfield Cup victory and has a further four horses nominated for the race including Ipswich Cup winner Anagold, Fibrillation, Dany The Fox and German import Pakal who will contest the same race as Bit Of Hell on Saturday.