The 2013 Cox Plate (2040m) will be the main Melbourne Spring Carnival target for Green Moon but connections have not ruled out a possible Melbourne Cup tilt for last year’s winner.

Green Moon is a chance to defend his Melbourne Cup title. Photo by: Steve Hart

Speaking on the Racing Ahead radio program co-owner Nick Williams revealed that Green Moon is on a Cox Plate preparation and said it will come down to the weight the horse is given whether he defends his title in the Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Green Moon carried 53.5kg to victory in the 2012 Melbourne Cup and if recent history is any indicator will have to carry significantly more weight if he contests the race in 2013.

Dunaden was forced to carry 59kg in the Melbourne Cup last year, after he won the race with 54.5kg in 2011, while fellow French stayer Americain saw his weight rise 3.5kg the year after his victory in 2010.

If Green Moon is allocated a similar rise in weight by Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper Greg Carpenter he is unlikely to contest ‘the race that stops a nation’ and will instead concentrate on the Cox Plate with Williams hopeful he can improve on his seventh place finish behind Ocean Park last year.

The Montjeu entire is back in training after a spell that followed his relatively disappointing Autumn Racing Carnival campaign, in which he finished fourth in both the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m).

Williams said trainer Robert Hickmott and the entire team at Macedon Lodge could not be happier with the six-year-old who joined the Team Williams squad back in 2011.

No horse has won back-to-back Melbourne Cup’s since champion mare Makybe Diva while no entire has achieved the rare feat since Rain Lover in 1969.