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Waldorf is expected to be much more of a force to be reckoned with on his return trip to Ellerslie.

The Wairarapa youngster finished sixth in his first look around the Auckland course in the Gr.3 Eclipse Stakes on New Year’s Day and that experience will stand him in good stead for the Karaka Million on January 29.

“He wasn’t 100 per cent fit then and he’s a much better horse now,” trainer and part-owner Andrew Campbell said.

“I’m really happy with him and the Million has always been the target for him.”

Waldorf was an easy debut winner at Tauherenikau in the spring and he was then put aside after narrowly failing to beat the smart filly Gift Of Power in the Listed Wellesley Stakes at Trentham in October.

Campbell saddled Waldorf’s stablemate Longchamp to finish fifth in the 2014 Karaka Million and the now five-year-old’s performance at the Foxton trials on Tuesday will determine his immediate future.

“He’s still in the Telegraph, but he would have to win super impressively at the trials to run in that,” Campbell said.

“There’s not too many other open sprints around so he could otherwise go to Pukekohe on January 28.”

Longchamp won three races during the winter, including the Listed Opunake Cup, and he hasn’t raced since he finished fourth behind Kawi in the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes.

Meanwhile, barn mates Francome and Gobstopper will both be in action at Trentham on Saturday with the former an outside chance if he won to make the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile field on the last day of the Wellington Cup carnival.