Like A Carousel will try to shed his maiden tag at Caulfield on Wednesday.

But if his past six starts are anything to go by, the stayer might find one better on the day.

The Ken Keys-trained Like A Carousel is yet to win from 13 starts and has finished runner-up the past six times he's been to the races.

After finishing second in all five starts last campaign, the four-year-old returned as favourite in a 1700m event at Geelong last month.

But the result was a familiar one as he came in 3-1/2 lengths second to subsequent Tasmanian Derby winner Liberty Leader.

Keys is hoping to get the stayer to the Adelaide Cup (3200m).

Like A Carousel was second to Caravan Rolls On in the Sandown Cup over 3200m in his final spring start and was second in the 2800m event at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.

He contests Wednesday's Salt & Pepper Maiden Plate (2000m).

"The reality is he's a mile-and-a-half plus horse," Keys said.

"We're susceptible until we get to those distances, and then once we get to those distances we can mix it with anyone. And his form will show that.

"Some nice horses have beaten him on the way through so he's not necessarily getting beaten by bad horses. Even at Geelong the other day, the subsequent winner won the Tassie Derby on Sunday."

The Adelaide Cup (3200m) is on March 10. Like A Carousel was fifth in last year's South Australian Derby (2500m).

"We're trying to get him to Adelaide. That's the hope," Keys said.

"But we've got to start doing something very quickly to get him into it."

Like A Carousel will be ridden by Mark Zahra in Wednesday's race when the gelding steps up to a distance closer to a suitable trip.

"We're somewhere near it but the confidence level isn't there until we get to his proper distance," Keys said.

"We're not going to say we can't win. But we go there thinking we could be susceptible if there is any horse in it on the way up."

The Caulfield meeting will start later than usual with the first race at 2.28pm (AEDT) and the last race at 6.50pm.