Lionel is a former UK stayer that will be having only his seventh start on Saturday and despite having raced only once in Australia, is now into his third preparation with Maher.
Described by Turnbull as an out-and-out stayer, Lionel started his Australian campaign in Sydney last year but was given a break after one trial and after a further two trials when preparing for the spring, was turned out again.
Finally making his way to the races, Lionel pleased the Maher stable with his third-place finish over 2000m at Mornington last month.
"He's a hard horse to get a line on at home as he's a true staying horse," Turnbull said.
"But the way he travelled, picked up and closed off first time out, we were extremely happy with.
"Since then, he's really come on. He'd been a bit anxious, high-energy horse, but since then it's almost knocked a bit of sense into him.
"He's training a lot better, and he's jumped out well."
Turnbull said the use of the back tracks at Cranbourne, with less rails and less activity, had contributed to Lionel's improved demeanour.
"He probably feels as though he's at home, but a lot of our Europeans do a lot of their work out there," Turnbull said.
"He's been very much a work in progress. Last prep he was very light, but this time around he's a different horse.
"He's not that well in because of the set-weights, but he stays, and we know he will be there if he's on his game and then hopefully it will be all systems go for November."