Three knee operations have restricted Tokugawa's career but trainer Leon Corstens thinks enough of his ability to run him first-up at Group Two level.

The six-year-old goes into the Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night for his first start since he finished midfield in the Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool last May.

Tokugawa has raced just 13 times since his first outing in November 2010.

Corstens said the Choisir gelding had pulled up well from his work on Tuesday morning.

"We're hoping he will run really well," Corstens said.

"If it had not been for his knee problems he would have run in a lot more races and had a few more wins behind him.

"He's a good horse but hard to maintain in peak fitness all the time."

When nominations for the $220,000 race closed on Monday only seven horses had been entered resulting in Moonee Valley Race Club chief executive Michael Browell texting trainers pleading for more entries.

With nominations extended until Tuesday morning another eight horses' names appeared, stretching the entries to 15 including stakes winner Zedi Knight.

Peter Moody, who trains the nominal favourite for the race, Moment of Change, won the race with Black Caviar in 2010 and 2012.

Moment Of Change, winner of the 2012 Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, has a rating of 109, 12 points clear of next in line, the Tony Vasil-trained Richie's Vibe.

Corstens said the two Group One winners in his stable, Commanding Jewel and Zabeelionaire, were coming along nicely.

Commanding Jewel is recovering from injury which curtailed her spring campaign and is likely to bypass the rich autumn races and focus on the Group One Goodwood Handicap at Morphettville in May.

"I'm really happy with the way she is going," Corstens said.

"I reckon we'll miss the autumn and most likely head towards the Goodwood."

He said 2012 South Australian Derby winner Zabeelionaire was also back in work and likely to have his first jump-out at Seymour on Friday.

"He looks stronger than I have ever seen him," Corstens said.

Zabeelionaire hasn't won a race since the Derby in May 2012 and wasn't helped by wet tracks in his autumn/winter campaign last year.