Wez Hunter is banking on residual fitness to give Smokin' Joey an edge when he returns off a short break to run in the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield.

Smokin' Joey hasn't raced since he won the Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich on June 13 and the Bletchingly was not originally on his radar.

An extension to nominations on Monday gave Hunter time to re-think and he elected to give the rising eight-year-old his return run in Saturday's 1200m Group Three race.

"I was going to trial him next week at Mornington," Hunter said.

"I thought rather than trial him I'd take him there."

Hunter left Smokin' Joey in Queensland following his Eye Liner success giving him three weeks off before he returned to his Mornington stables.

Smokin' Joey spent a couple of quiet days at the beach before having his workload increased.

Hunter said his gallop on Tuesday was strong and while he was expecting a forward showing from the gelding, he believed he would improve with the run.

And his racing pattern will also help according to Hunter.

"He flops out and it's not like he jumps out and pulls hard, so he's the right sort of horse to have going into the race fresh," Hunter said.

The Group Two PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 15 will be the next step in Smokin' Joey's spring campaign after which a decision will be made whether he goes to the Group One Memsie Stakes or steps up in distance.

The winner of the 2014 Group One Goodwood (1200m), Smokin' Joey will be entered for the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

"The owner is very keen to try him over 2000 metres this time around," Hunter said.

"He's asked me to nominate him for the Cox Plate but we'll be guided by how he's going whether we press on."

Chris Parnham, who won the Group Three Carlyon Cup on Smokin' Joey in the autumn, is reunited with the gelding on Saturday.

Smokin' Joey is on the fourth line of betting for Saturday's feature race with Lord Of The Sky the $3 favourite ahead of Angels Beach at $4.60 and Petrology at $6.

In the race for the Melbourne jockeys' premiership, Damien Oliver, who holds a one win lead over Craig Williams, has firmed from $1.80 to $1.60 with Williams now out to $2.20.