Trainer Graeme Hughes is hoping the Prime Ruler form line will stack up at Townsville on Saturday when promising sprinter Family Star and Helmaz attempt to qualify for the $100,000 Cleveland Bay Handicap.

Family Star and Helmaz - a recent addition to the Graeme Hughes stable – clash in the Open Handicap over 1200 metres which guarantees the winner a start in the Cleveland Bay Handicap over 1300 metres on Saturday week.

Family Star is lining up for only his ninth start for the Hughes stable.

He started his career with Brisbane trainer Lindsay Gough before being moved on to Townsville's Jeff Caught and then Hughes.

The son of Bel Esprit has started 19 times for six wins and seven placings and has earned more than $100,000 in prize money.

The rising six-year-old has won three times for Hughes including a dominant win over Prime Ruler at Townsville's Cluden Park in April.

Jockey Lacey Morrison will ride Family Star after his regular hoop Justin Stanley opted for another mount.

"Justin normally rides him but he took another ride not knowing we were starting Family Star this Saturday," Hughes said.

"Family Star and Helmaz are both 74 raters and it might not be enough to get them into the Cleveland Bay so we're trying to qualify one of them this way in a ballot-free race."

Hughes has a big opinion of the ultra-consistent Prime Ruler who has emerged as north Queensland's latest sprint star with eight wins from 11 starts.

"Prime Ruler is a very good horse and he's beaten us once and we've beaten him once," he said.

Family Star is backing up nine days after winning a Benchmark 75 race at Townsville last Thursday.

"He's going well but he's a bit of a quirky horse who goes to pieces on race days and shivers a lot so we have to pamper him," Hughes said.

Hughes, 67, has been training for close to half a century.

"I started training when I was 19 but I took four or five years off when I got a bit disillusioned," he said.

"But, I'm still going and I've got ten in work when I normally have around five."

Hughes has named the Roy Chillemi-trained Palencia as the main danger to his pair.

Palencia won on a 3YO Handicap on heavy track over 1400 metres at Townsville two starts ago before running home strongly for third to Santa Marinella in a 3YO Handicap over 1300 metres at Cluden Park last Thursday.