New Zealand Derby victor Willydoit is set to compete for a place in the Australian Cup as he heads to Flemington.
Willydoit alongside stable companion Holymanz will tackle the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) this Saturday, with both aiming to bolster their prospects for additional autumn prizes.
In his second campaign under the Ciaron Maher banner, Willydoit has not yet recaptured the brilliance that delivered victory in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie back in March last year.
Jack Turnbull, national assistant trainer to Maher, noted that the team gained valuable insights into the now four-year-old after his initial stint in Sydney over the spring.
Willydoit returned at Caulfield on February 7, managing to outrun just one rival in the MRC Foundation Cup (1600m), prompting the stable to fit blinkers again on the gelding after deeming him a ‘little plain’ on debut.
“When the race was run the way it was, it was brutally run, and with a horse like Light Infantry Man winning it, sitting second, it says a lot about the race shape,” Turnbull said.
“For him, who was back, no headgear, floating along, he just never got involved.
“His splits late were positive enough, but he should have done something because he did nothing for the first three-quarters.
“He’s had a couple of good gallops, he gets on the bigger track, the mile again, headgear on, there’s a lot more going his way this week.”
Turnbull mentioned that Willydoit ranked among the top staying three-year-olds, having placed fourth in the Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick last autumn, though as a spring four-year-old, the yard opted to pursue richer spring targets.
That encompassed a ninth placing in The Golden Eagle following seventh in the Alan Brown Stakes.
“He was a dominant staying three-year-old, but he’s not slow, so coming to Sydney last campaign, with the weights, we were willing to try him in the big features which didn’t work,” Turnbull said.
“A prep on, we know a bit more about him and I think 2000 (metres) will be his go.
“The Australian Cup is on the plan, but if he was not to fire at that class and weight scale, then there are races like the Mornington Cup, but we’ll just see, but his main early aim, after this run, is the Australian Cup.”
Turnbull called Holymanz an ‘old marvel’ after the veteran returned from a spell to secure third in the MRC Foundation Cup most recently.
“We could have gone to the All-Star Mile (next Saturday), but we’ve decided on the softer option to get him to be winning again,” Turnbull said.
“It’s not a race that’s out of his reach and if he can run up to his last run, he’ll be right up there again.”
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