The racehorse trainer who knows the value of publicity more than most concedes racing's immediate future will be poorer for the retirement of Typhoon Tracy.As she confirmed a Futurity Stakes start for glamour mare More Joyous, Gai Waterhouse said the absence of Peter Moody's Typhoon Tracy would rob Saturday week's weight-for-age race of a Lightning Stakes-like build-up.Melbourne racing has been in countdown mode this week as Black Caviar prepares to put her unbeaten record on the line once more

The racehorse trainer who knows the value of publicity more than most concedes racing's immediate future will be poorer for the retirement of Typhoon Tracy.

As she confirmed a Futurity Stakes start for glamour mare More Joyous, Gai Waterhouse said the absence of Peter Moody's Typhoon Tracy would rob Saturday week's weight-for-age race of a Lightning Stakes-like build-up.

Melbourne racing has been in countdown mode this week as Black Caviar prepares to put her unbeaten record on the line once more against Hay List in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

The Futurity Stakes had the potential to create just as much hype, according to Waterhouse.

"It is a shame Typhoon Tracy won't be there," she said.

"These great contests are what make racing so exciting."

Typhoon Tracy scrambled to a CF Orr Stakes win last Saturday and was retired from racing earlier this week after taking longer than usual to recover from the run.

More Joyous started her Doncaster Mile campaign on the brightest possible note with her Breeders Classic win at Randwick on the same day.

Waterhouse said it was hard to fault the John Singleton-owned mare since the Breeders.

"She worked over 1200 metres on the Kensington track this morning and you wouldn't have known she had a run last week," Waterhouse said on Thursday.

"She'll work here (at Randwick) on the course proper on Saturday and then head down to Melbourne on Sunday."

The $500,000 Futurity Stakes, run over 1400m at Caulfield, will be More Joyous' only Melbourne autumn appearance.

Waterhouse, meanwhile, is weighing up Melbourne options for Lorne Dancer - one of two runners she has engaged in the Apollo Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

"If he was able to run well on Saturday I might take him down for the Australian Cup," she said.

Lorne Dancer is on another comeback trail after injury but showed enough when 3-1/2 lengths from Centennial Park in the Expressway Stakes to convince Waterhouse his use-by date is a long way off.

"He's thriving," she said. "He's doing everything I have asked of him."

Last year's AJC Australian Oaks winner Once Were Wild returns in the Apollo with Waterhouse setting the mare for the Sydney Cup.