By Michael Sharkie

MELBOURNE, Aug 28 AAP - Leading jockey Craig Williams may have found himself a more than handy Caulfield and Melbourne Cup ride if up-and-coming stayer Moudre can continue his authoritative rise through the ranks.

Tackling his toughest test to date in Saturday's Listed Hocking Stuart Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield, Moudre overcame a luckless run to score a comfortable win and announce himself as a genuine lightweight Cups chance for Warrnambool-based trainer Ciaron Maher.

"He gave me a feeling like a horse named Leica Falcon that I rode through the ranks a few years ago," Williams said.

Williams partnered Leica Falcon when the Corowa-trained stayer burst onto the scene in the spring of 2005, winning an open handicap at Sandown and the Group Two Winning Edge Stakes before running fifth in the Caulfield Cup to Railings.

Moudre still has plenty to do before he can comfortably make the Caulfield Cup field but Williams is confident the five-year-old has what it takes to make the grade this spring.

"He's a potential star and the best part about him is that he's such a relaxed character," he said.

"When you stoke him up he finds gear after gear, he's exciting."

Moudre endured a wide run in the second half of the field before Williams began to creep forward at the 800m and by the turn he was poised to pounce and soon left Diggersanddealers and Apprehend in his wake, eventually winning by 3-1/4 lengths from that duo.

Maher, who knows a thing or two about what it takes to win a good race during spring having saddled up 100-1 shot Tears I Cry to win the Group One Emirates Stakes in 2007, is keeping the lid on his latest star galloper as he progresses towards the Cups.

"He keeps answering his critics and that was a good win. It takes a while for a few of them to find their feet but he's really come on and matured in the last year," he said.

"We'll go to the Naturalism Stakes here in September now. He needs to keep winning."