The opportunity to test Turner Bayou at 3200 metres is one Patrick Payne is looking forward to in Saturday's Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm.

Payne also accepted with Turner Bayou in the Banjo Paterson Series Final (2600m) at Flemington as a precautionary measure against any travel hitches.

"I accepted with him at Flemington in case his flight up here was cancelled but I was keen to get him up to the two miles and the Queensland Cup was always my first choice," Payne said.

"He's a nice progressive young stayer but it's the first time he's raced against open company and although he's on the minimum he's not that well weighted."

Payne believes Turner Bayou should be receiving more weight from rivals Verdant and Ibicenco.

"Verdant should be giving him five kilograms but he's giving him zero and Ibicenco should be giving him ten and he's giving him five," he said.

"But I think he's a genuine stayer and it's time to find out whether he's up to it or not."

Turner Bayou hasn't raced beyond 2400 metres but Payne's gut feeling is he will handle the 3200 metres.

"He gives every indication he'll stay two miles. He's a dour, genuine stayer and a good scopey horse with a beautiful length of stride and a great airway."

Payne won the Queensland Cup in 2008 with Kerdem who went on to finish second in the Adelaide Cup the following year.

Turner Bayou is likely to follow a similar path if he is successful on Saturday although Payne regards this year's renewal as superior in quality to the field Kerdem defeated.

The Mike Moroney stable has cleared Muirfield to back up in the Cup after he ran a creditable sixth to Zennista in the Caloundra Cup last Saturday.

"He's come through his run in the Caloundra Cup extremely well and we've always wanted to give him a go over two miles," Moroney's stable spokesman Anthony Feroce said.

"We feel the trip won't be a problem and he's a good each-way chance."

Muirfield's stablemate Shenzhou Steeds will be reserved for Wednesday's Grafton Cup (2350m) after he ran fourth in the Caloundra Cup.