Craig Williams will ride Protectionist when the Melbourne Cup winner resumes racing at the end of the month.

Star English jockey Ryan Moore won the Melbourne Cup on Protectionist after Williams was on board when the stayer finished fourth at his Australian debut in the Herbert Power Stakes.

"That was a telling factor," Protectionist's new trainer Kris Lees said.

"And he (Williams) has had an association with (Protectionist's owners) Australian Bloodstock over a number of years."

Lees said there had been several jockeys considered for the Peter Young Stakes ride, including Hugh Bowman who rode Protectionist in a barrier trial hit-out on Monday.

Lees said the Australian Bloodstock team took jockey bookings race by race although Williams was likely to keep the ride in the Australian Cup should Protectionist be given his chance in the weight-for-age event.

The Peter Young Stakes will be run at Caulfield on February 28, a fortnight before the Australian Cup.

"If he shows up and looks sharp enough in the Peter Young that we feel he can win an Australian Cup, he'll be going to the Australian Cup," Lees said.

"But if he's a bit dour we could come home and look at the BMW."

Bowman, meanwhile, will ride the Lees-trained Group One-winning mare Lucia Valentina when she resumes in the Group Two Apollo Stakes on Saturday week.