A float accident saw the Group 1 winner scratched from the VSS four-year-old colts and geldings' decider on New Year's Eve before below-par efforts in races through February, March and April forced connections to pull up stumps and start fresh with a new campaign.

It has been a slow and steady progression to the races this time around, with Major Moth preparing for the first-up assignment at the Ballarat trials against stablemates Honolua Bay and Mach Dan on October 2.

"The recovery has been long and slow, but we are very, very happy with the way he's going at the moment," owner-breeder Len Parker said.

"We think he should be back to nearly his best when he gets a run in under his belt.

"We think he will make a very good account of himself (on Saturday night). It's a red-hot field with Rock N Roll Doo and Mach Dan etcetera, but we expect him to give a ton of cheek."

Regular reinsman Damian Wilson will partner Major Moth against race favourite Rock N Roll Doo and second elect Mach Dan, who placed fourth and sixth respectively in last weekend's Victoria Cup. Bulletproof Boy was fifth in that race and is the other Vic Cup contender to line-up in the Geelong Pacing Cup.

Mach Dan is out to become just the second back-to-back winner of the country cup feature, with Our Malabar the only horse to have completed the feat when he scored on consecutive occasions in 2009 and 2010.

Stewart's three-pronged attack on the race includes Beyond Delight, who will be driven by James Herbertson.

Herbertson has handed up his place in the Australian Drivers' Championship in Launceston to be at Geelong, with the Joe Pace-trained Harry Stamper among his book of drives in the Haras des Trotteurs McNamara Trotters Cup.

Maori's Idol Trotting Championship leader One Over All is odds-on favourite for the event and will start from the 30m back mark, with Ray Harvey's The Penny Drops off 20m.