Chris Waller produces masterstroke with gear change and drop in distance as Imperialist win the Rough Habit

Trainer Chris Waller saddled up four runners in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate including the race favourite, but it was $71 outsider Imperialist who stole the show.

Imperialist wins the Rough Habit Plate at Doomben at big odds for Chris Waller. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Most punters were probably hoping that a Chris Waller-trained horse won the $250,000 Group 3 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben on Saturday but they wouldn’t have expected it to be Imperialist.

Sydney’s premier trainer Waller had four horses in the 2000m race, headlined by three-year-old filly Belle Detelle, who started the contest as the $3 favourite but got too far back at the start and was never in contention as $71 shot Imperialist pulled off a massive upset.

With Tommy Berry riding, the three-year-old gelding finished ahead of fellow roughie, Queenslander Deep Focus ($81), and the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained King Of Thunder ($7.50) on the Heavy 8 track.

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Imperialist, by Churchill, races in the colours of Brisbane larrikin owner Noel Greenhalgh, who won the 2022 Melbourne Cup as a part-owner of Gold Trip.

The gelding was coming off a disappointing ninth in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) this month at Eagle Farm so punters can be excused for steering well clear of him.

“We didn’t know what to do with him after his last start, we tried blinkers and it didn’t work,” Waller said.

“So we took them off and suggested to Tommy that we ride him a bit closer to the speed today.

“He had a nice soft time up front and it sparked some interest. He brought some good form to Sydney from Melbourne, but then didn’t quite stay the 2400m.

“We’ll try to make him stay now. I’ll have a chat to Tommy (Berry) to see what he says, but I do have some concerns over the 2400 metres.

“The Churchills tend to be slightly speedier horses, so we’ll have a think over the next few days about whether or not we go there (to the Queensland Derby).”

Imperialist adds some value to the Doomben quaddie, taking out the last at Doomben at a big price! 💰 @[e-mail]/Js28JHIHcD

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025

Imperialist has firmed to $15 for the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31.

Berry said he was happy to finish Doomben 10,000 day on a high note after riding his first winner in this year’s Queensland Winter Carnival.

“Full credit to the team at home, this horse has always had ability but it hasn’t been easy to get the best out of him,” Berry said.

“Chris took the blinkers back off and we just changed things up a little bit in the hope that we’d get a result.

“He’s the best trainer of stayers around, so if he thinks he can get the horse to stay, then he can get the horse to stay.

“I’ve had a bit of luck in these colours in the past but it’s been a while, so it was nice to salute in them again today.”

Trainer Paul Shailer was delighted with the outstanding run of Deep Focus, who started big odds but charged home and is now a $15 chance for the Queensland Derby.

Originally published as Chris Waller produces masterstroke with gear change and drop in distance as Imperialist win the Rough Habit