Trainer Marc Conners believes the time is right for his progressive gelding Willaidow to step up to tougher competition, aiming to secure 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 been lightly raced, with just eighteen career starts, but continues to improve. His first-up victory in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) was a sign of his potential—an outcome that didn’t surprise Conners.

“We were confident the horse was going very well,” Conners said.

“It was a logical step. Everything went to plan that day, but second-up, he was probably just a little too fresh. He’s progressed nicely since then.”

Willaidow finished fifth in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m), beaten 1.6 lengths, after a four-week break between runs. Conners expects him to be much fitter this time around.

“He was just a bit fresh second-up after that long gap between runs. He got a bit worked up before the race, but that run has tightened him up. Going into this race third-up, we’re really happy with him,” Conners said.

A son of Shamus Award, Willaidow has never raced beyond 1400m but has shown the ability to lead over shorter distances. Conners is confident he’s ready to stretch out with the Doncaster in mind.

“We’ve been working towards this, so hopefully everything falls into place on Saturday. The Doncaster has been a long-term goal, but he’ll need to be impressive to prove he belongs at that level,” Conners said.

“It’s going to be a hot race this year. A lot of horses are targeting it, so he has to run a strong 1500m to justify stepping up to the mile.”

“Last preparation, he kept getting better with each run. He was known for going too hard early, but over his last six starts, he’s learned to settle beautifully.”

“He’s now showing us that he can sit on the speed in a fast-run race and still finish strongly.”

Zac Lloyd has been booked to ride Willaidow at 54kg, with the gelding currently rated an $8 chance in all-in betting.