It didn't take much to entice Hong Kong-based Australian Brett Prebble home to ride Bondi Beach in the Melbourne Cup.

The winner of the great race in 2012 aboard Green Moon, Prebble will wear those same colours when he rides Bondi Beach on Tuesday.

This year will be Prebble's 12th ride in the Cup, 20 years after his first attempt on the John Meagher-trained Daacha.

Prebble said it was hard to knock back the ride on Bondi Beach, one of three Lloyd Williams-owned runners.

"It's one of Aidan O'Brien's, so it didn't take much to get me down here," Prebble said.

"He ran second in the English St Leger, so he's a solid horse.

"Lloyd's been a great supporter of mine over the years and I've had a lot of success for him as well."

Williams recently bought shares in both Bondi Beach and his stablemate Kingfisher, joining forces with Coolmore.

Bondi Beach is the least experienced runner in Tuesday's race, lining up for his sixth start, which Prebble said may count against the northern hemisphere three-year-old.

But the jockey said what he lacked in experience was countered by the expertise of his trainer.

The O'Brien-trained Mahler was a northern hemisphere three-year-old having his eighth start when third to the Williams-owned Efficient in the 2007 Cup.

"He does have a big engine and that might take him a long way," Prebble said.

"He's fast from the gates and he can take up a position, so I'll speak to the boss to see what he wants to do.

"I don't think he'll be wanting to get into the pack amongst them."

Prebble said this year's edition shaped as the toughest he had ridden in.

"It's a very solid race with a lot of serious horses that are in form as well," he said.

"It's going to be very interesting for sure."