Bendigo-based trainer Julius has officially nominated Just Folk for the $5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 19.

The first 10 horses in the final field of 15 are decided by public vote, with the polls opening for the 2022 event on January 24.

The backing of Bendigo's proud sporting public will play a key role in Julius' and Just Folk's hopes of earning a spot in the field.

For now, Julius is concentrating on getting Just Folk fit for his autumn campaign, starting with a first-up run in the Group Two Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley in late January.

Just Folk stormed into contention for the All-Star Mile on the back of his Group Two Crystal Mile win on Cox Plate Day.

The five-year-old gelding had a brief spell at the end of his successful spring carnival and returned to the stable in the first week of December.

"He's a horse that does really well in the paddock, so he doesn't need a whole lot of time off,'' Julius said.

"Before his spring campaign he had three weeks off after his winter preparation.

"He's lightly-raced and if we could get to the All-Star Mile fourth run this preparation.... that would be terrific.

"If we don't get in the All-Star Miule we could consider the Doncaster (in Sydney), but at this stage we're all guns blazing for an all-Victorian autumn, kicking off in the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley at the end of January.

"Hopefully, we then have a couple of stepping stones into the All-Star Mile."

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Those stepping stones could be the prestigious C.F Orr Stakes over 1400m and the Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

The winner of the Blamey Stakes earns automatic entry into the All-Star Mile as one of five wildcards.

The top 10 votegetters on the public leaderboard will be joined by the winners of the Futurity Stakes and the Blamey Stakes, with the final three spots determined by the wildcard panel.

Just Folk's form throughout the spring carnival stood up strongly, particularly his run in the Seymour Cup, a race that produced several winners.

"From his first-up run all the way through to the Cantala (Stakes) and even following the Cantala...whichever race you looked at there was red-hot form out of it,'' Julius said.

"Seeing all that form around us gave us the confidence to aim at the big races.

"Ultimately, that was part of the reason behind having a crack at the Crystal Mile."

Just Folk has had 16 career starts for five wins and three placings and has prizemoney earnings of more than $370,000.

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