With the spring carnival on the doorstep, trainer Doug Harrison is happy to have star jockey Craig Williams back in Melbourne.

Harrison has called on his nephew to partner Tudor in the Listed McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley, the jockey's second Saturday meeting back home after overseas riding stints during the Australian winter.

Tudor scored a confidence-boosting win in a metropolitan grade three-year-old race at Bendigo last start and Harrison is convinced he is ready for a return to Listed company.

Williams rode Tudor at his only other start in stakes grade when he finished fifth in a Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield in January.

"Craig had galloped him and he worked quite well leading into that run, and he ran a fairly good race that day but pulled up terribly shin sore," Harrison said.

"So we just put him out."

Tudor has had three starts this campaign and after finishing third to the promising Inkling in Sydney two starts ago, the son of Strategic broke through at Bendigo with an all-the-way win over 1100m.

"I tried to get Craig before but he wasn't going to be back in time," Harrison said.

"He was quite happy to jump on."

Tudor is at double-figure odds for the McKenzie Stakes with Godolphin three-year-old Orujo, a first-up winner at Sandown on August 6, favourite at $4.

The McKenzie Stakes launched the spring campaigns of subsequent Cox Plate winner Shamus Award and Caulfield Guineas winner Long John last year when that pair finished second and third respectively to New Zealander Cauthen.

Trainer Mike Moroney has high hopes for the unbeaten Merion this campaign and the Listed Anzac Day Stakes winner resumes in the McKenzie with the Caulfield Guineas his spring target.

The Wendy Kelly-trained Fast Cash flashed home for second to Tudor last start and has been one of the firmers in betting, while Harrison says Tudor has continued to improve.