Ciaron's next $4m winner?: Where there's Another Wil, there's a way

Another Wil swept to prominence winning his last three starts impressively in restricted company but champion trainer Ciaron Maher will lift the bar for the lightly-raced four-year-old in Saturday's Group 3 contest.

Maher told ACM Racing he thinks Another Wil is up to the challenge of running in black type races.

"We're going into the Doncaster Prelude quietly confident with Another Wil," the multiple Group 1 winning trainer said.

"He really hasn't put a foot wrong in his six starts. He's a progressive class horse who has gone through his grades very impressively.

"Another Wil deserves a crack at the better class races. He needs to win the Prelude to get a run in the Doncaster Mile.

"His form is faultless leading into the Prelude. I think he's a horse on the up and should keep on improving. It's for sure he hasn't reached his peak yet. We'll have a better idea about how far he can go and his ability after the Prelude."

Another Wil has drawn barrier four for the Prelude and Maher said it's an ideal gate.

"I wanted Another Wil to draw one of the inside barriers," he said. "It's worked out really well getting barrier four.

"We were the first emergency when acceptors closed and then there was the scratching of Caesars Palace which means we've got into the final field. It's a relief to know we've got a run."

Talented jockey Jamie Kah has ridden Another Wil to his last three wins at Flemington, Caulfield and Sandown, and made a rushed trip from Melbourne to Sydney to ride the galloper in a 1000 metre barrier trial on March 18.

"Jamie is impressed with Another Wil," Maher said. "She's confident there's another couple of gears there. She said she's impressed with the ease of how he works and runs in his races, if he happens to win the Prelude and forces his way into the Doncaster Mile it'll be a dream come true for his owners.

"Colin and Janice McKenna who bred Another Wil at their Woolsthorpe property put a lot of money into racing and it would be a wonderful result as many of the owners in the horse have been workmates at Colin's Midfield Meats for years and years.

"The Doncaster Mile is an iconic race on the Australian racing calendar. It would be a huge thrill if he can get a run in the race. We've got our fingers crossed he can win Saturday's Prelude as he'll get into the Doncaster Mile on a luxury weight and that should help his chances."

Another Wil has won four of his six starts and finished in the minor placegetters stall on two occasions.

Imported stayer Ashrun lines up for Maher in Saturday's $1.5 million Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400 metres) and he's happy with the progress of the eight-year-old since his last start Pakenham Cup victory on March 15. Maher is no stranger to success in the Tancred and Sydney Cups.

He won the Tancred with Sir Dragonet in 2021 and Etah Jones was successful in the 2020 Sydney Cup.

"Ashrun has ticked all the boxes leading into the Tancred," he said. "Ashrun's main goal is the Sydney Cup on April 13. He's a genuine two-miler.

"He put in an incredible performance to run fourth in last year's Melbourne Cup. Ashrun is second-up in the Tancred but that shouldn't hold any concerns.

"He's trained on very well since his Pakenham Cup victory. He went through the lines strongly winning the Pakenham Cup but he's going to be even stronger with a Tancred run under his belt going into the Sydney Cup."

Normandy Prince, Odinson, Dunbelievin, Mornington Pier, Ruthless Dame, She's All Class, Berkshire Shadow and Gringotts are other runners Maher has running at Rosehill.

"I've got a few good chances running at Rosehill, apart from Another Wil," he said. "It's hard to split them but I'm confident a few of them will run well on a very tough card."

Eight group races are on the 10-race program. The highlights are the Tancred Stakes and the Vinery Stakes. Both races carry Group 1 status.