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Michael Walker will gallop Dashing Willoughby in the Caulfield Cup.

Jockey Michael Walker has partnered his Caulfield and Melbourne Cup mount Dashing Willoughby in a light workout ahead of a more strenuous test on Saturday. 

Walker will gallop the Andrew Balding-trained stayer at Werribee ahead of contesting the $5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on Saturday week. 

Dashing Willoughby was one of 29 international horses to arrive in Melbourne last week for the spring carnival. 

Walker chose Dashing Willoughby because of his close association with the stayer's new part-owner Sir Owen Glenn rather than continue with Prince Of Arran who he had partnered to placings in the last two Melbourne Cups. 

Walker was impressed with how Dashing Willoughby felt ahead of Saturday's gallop. 

"We just did a couple rounds of canter," Walker said. 

"He's a really nice horse. He's not the biggest, robust horse but he's very alert, he's got a nice brain and I liked what I felt today and I'm looking forward to galloping him tomorrow." 

Walker said travelling to Werribee on Friday was a part of getting a thorough understanding of Dashing Willoughby. 

"I wanted to feel his action," Walker said. 

"Horses will feel different at a slower speed than at a faster speed. 

"The quicker they get, the more they extend and more flowing their action gets and I just wanted to feel him going slower and more held together. 

"He impressed me. 

"He looks well, he's nearly at his racing weight and all things going forward are looking good." 

A five-year-old by Nathaniel, Dashing Willoughby was a Group 3 winner at Sandown in July before running 4th to Enbihaar in the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3270m) at York in August. 

Dashing Willoughby is a $17 chance with TAB for the Caulfield Cup and $26 in latest Melbourne Cup betting.