"We need to find a length and in blinkers, that's what we'll be hoping for, but mind you, he might need more than a length with Jacquinot in the race."
Elkington Road won his first two starts on heavy ground at Sandown and Flemington last year before running tenth in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.
He had one more spring start, finishing second in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week.
Japanese Emperor has only had three starts, and like his stablemate was successful on heavy ground on debut at Sandown. After one more start when beating only one home in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m), Japanese Emperor was sent for a spell.
He returned to finish a fading sixth in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) on February 11.
Moroney said Japanese Emperor was still 'pretty chubby' and needed hard gallops to bring him on.
"He had a gallop on Saturday and one of Tuesday as he's still pretty chubby. He came to win the other day, but knocked up, and I looked at him and thought that he had not even had a run," Moroney said.
