Ajax Stakes next for Willaidow

Trainer Marc Conners is confident that now is the right time for his improving gelding Willaidow to take on bigger challenges, with hopes of securing a spot in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile by winning the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

The six-year-old has had only eighteen career starts but continues to make strides, having won the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) first-up this preparation—an outcome that Conners was not surprised by.

“We were confident the horse was in great form,” Conners said.

“It was the logical next step, and everything went according to plan. Second-up, he was probably a little too fresh, but he’s progressed well since then.”

Willaidow finished fifth in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m), beaten 1.6 lengths, after a four-week gap between races. Conners believes the shorter turnaround this time will be in his favor.

“Second-up, he was just a bit fresh after that long break. He got quite worked up pre-race, but that run has done him good. Heading into this race third-up, we’re really happy with where he’s at,” Conners said.

A son of Shamus Award, Willaidow has yet to race beyond 1400m but has demonstrated early speed in shorter races. Conners is confident he can handle the step up in trip with the Doncaster in sight.

“We’ve been planning towards this, and hopefully, it all comes together on Saturday. The Doncaster has been a long-term goal, but he’ll need to put in a strong performance to justify going there,” Conners said.

“It’s shaping up to be a very competitive edition of the race. Plenty of top horses are targeting it, so he’ll need to prove he can run a strong 1500m to earn his place in the field.”

“Last prep, he improved with every run. He was once a horse that went too hard early, but over his last six starts, he’s learned to settle much better.”

“He’s handling racing better than ever and is now showing that he can position himself on the speed in fast-run races while still finishing off well.”

Zac Lloyd will take the ride on Willaidow at 54kg, with the gelding currently rated an $8 chance in early markets.