Will the attractions of a Parisian autumn prove a bigger drawcard than the magnificence of a Melbourne spring?

It might all come down to the persuasive powers of Lloyd Williams, part-owner of top galloper Order of St George, after the star stayer romped to an easy nine-length victory in the Irish St Leger early Monday morning for legendary Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien and top international jockey Ryan Moore.

The weight allotted to the six-year-old (by Australian time) for the Melbourne Cup by Racing Victoria Handicapper Greg Carpenter will also have a significant bearing on whether connections are tempted to take a punt on a Cup raid or stick closer to home for a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly.

Carpenter is due to release the Cup weights on Tuesday, and with so many foreign entries they will be awaited with just as much interest in the northern hemisphere as they are in Australia and New Zealand.

Melbourne offers ballyhoo and a big day out, not to mention some $6 million in stake money, while Paris offers prestige and a major boost to a horse's stud prospects as the Arc is widely regarded as Europe's top middle-distance race.

Order of St George was allotted original top weight for last year's Cups but sidestepped the assignment in favour of the Arc, where he was an impressive third behind stable companions Found and Highland Reel, giving O'Brien the first trifecta in the great race.

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Early Monday morning the son of Galileo made a bit of history of his own. Not only did he join a small band of dual winners of the Irish St Leger (which is open to all ages)  but he became the first to regain the Leger title having lost it the previous year.

He won the 2800-metre race at The Curragh by 11 lengths in 2009, but was surprisingly beaten when a long odds on favourite by Wicklow Brave last year.

This time round the latter was beaten into fourth place behind Moore's mount and another Cups entry, the Jessica Harrington-trained Torcedor.

Moore took the bull by the horns a long way from home when he forged clear and challenged his rivals to run him down, but none could get in a blow.

Afterwards O'Brien indicated that connections now had to decide between Australia and France.

"Ryan kept it simple and it was a very good effort by the horse. We're delighted. We knew he'd handle the soft ground and that he had the class to deliver a performance like that," he was quoted as saying in the Racing Post.

"Now we have a decision to make and it will be made quite soon. We'll think about the Melbourne Cup but we could be tempted by sending him back for another tilt at the Arc, in which he ran so well when third last year.

"He showed at Chantilly last year that he is very comfortable over a mile and a half if there is ease in the ground."

Moore added: "Order Of St George is a brilliant horse. He's been round the block and gave me a very strong feel today."

O'Brien's star sprinter Caravaggio, who had been touted as a potential challenger for Sydney's $10 million Everest, also bounced back to form in fine style in the group 2 Flying Five Stakes over 1000 metres on the same Curragh card.

The soft ground at the weekend really suited the Ryan Moore-ridden winner, and if he did come to Randwick he would be happy to find a wet track.