Green Moon set for Futurity Stakes return

By Mike Hedge

MELBOURNE, Feb 22 AAP - It's the sort of "why-not" scenario that might appeal to Lloyd Williams - and it's not out of the question.

Williams' star stayer Green Moon resumes at Caulfield on Saturday in an attempt to become the first horse since Phar Lap to win the Futurity Stakes first up after winning the previous Melbourne Cup.

Last autumn Green Moon showed the sort of first-up form required to win on Saturday when he won the Blamey Stakes in his only start of that preparation.

And at the start of his last campaign he came from last of 15 to finish fifth to Sincero in the Memsie Stakes.

Whether that is good enough to put him into the picture with the odds-on favourite All Too Hard at the 1400m of the Futurity is debatable, but Williams is tipping a typically honest effort.

Williams said the horse is short of the same fitness level this time around, but still ready to run well.

"I'd be surprised if he doesn't run a very forward race," Williams told Melbourne station radio RSN.

"He's going to get back but if they open up he's going to be strong in the finish."

Like Williams, jockey Brett Prebble won't be surprised by a forward performance.

"He's not at his winning weight, but you wouldn't want him to be," Prebble said.

"He's very fresh, very well and I expect him to be very strong at the end of the race."

Prebble, who was at Moonee Valley on Friday to put Williams' 2013 Melbourne Cup prospects through their paces, said class will take Green Moon a long way in a race that will tune him up for his only other autumn appearance.

"His only other start this prep will be in the Australian Cup and he'll be ready for that." All Too Hard's expected domination of the Futurity is reflected in his $1.70 assessment bookmakers have made of him.

But of equal significance is how Saturday's performance shapes the remainder of the horse's campaign.

All Too Hard is an even-money favourite for the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington next week, but small doubts exist over his program.

The Guineas was ruled out after his Orr Stakes win of two weeks ago, only to return to the agenda since.

Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said All Too Hard was on track for the Guineas so long as it fitted the colt's subsequent Sydney plans.

"We'll get through Saturday first," Hawkes said.