Chris Waller has four shots at Group 1 record in Doomben Cup
Chris Waller can set a national record for most Group 1 wins in a season if one of his four runners can take out the Doomben Cup on Saturday.
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Chris Waller can set a national record for most Group 1 wins and take his stable earnings over the $50m mark for the season if either Kovalica, Lindermann, Osipenko or Militarize wins the $1m Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday.
The champion trainer has had another sensational season preparing 18 Group 1 wins, equalling the all-time record he set in 2018-19.
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Waller’s stable runners have already earned $49.57m for the 2024-25 season, behind only Ciaron Maher who has set a new national record with $55.4m prizemoney so far.
Maher is the trainer of reigning Horse of the Year and $3.50 Doomben Cup favourite Pride Of Jenni who looms as a sizeable hurdle Waller’s four starters must overcome for their trainer to claim the Group 1 record.
Waller’s Doomben Cup quartet is led by Kovalica at $9.50 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting with Lindermann at $10, Osipenko $17 and Militarize ($19).
Kovalica goes into the Doomben Cup after his closing third in the Hollindale Stakes in very heavy track conditions at the Gold Coast, with Militarize finishing fifth and Lindermann ninth.
“I wouldn’t be too concerned about their Gold Coast runs, it’s just the way the track played that day,’’ Waller said.
“I’m happy with all of them. Lindermann has drawn well, so has Kovalica, the other two are drawn out a bit.
“But Pride Of Jenni ensures the race will be run at a genuine tempo so they should all get their chance.’’
At Royal Randwick, Waller can continue his surge towards a 15th Sydney trainers premiership in succession with good chances in six of the 10 races.
Waller has trained 122 city wins so far this season and has already established a premiership-winning lead over second-placed Bjorn Baker on 77.
The Hall of Fame trainer’s best chance at Randwick is Ahuriri ($3.80 favourite) for the PF Civil Handicap (2400m).
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MILE TEST FOR JAKEY
Trainer Joe Pride believes there is no better time to give the race-fit and in-form Cool Jakey his opportunity at 1600m for the Charity Challenge Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
“I want to test him out over a mile,’’ Pride said.
“I think it’s worth giving him the chance as he was very tough winning over 1400m at Hawkesbury last start.’’
Cool Jakey has never raced beyond 1400m in his 16-start career but he has never been in better form either with two wins and two placings from his last four attempts including holding off Gallant Star to win at the Hawkesbury stand-alone meeting.
The five-year-old gelding is also one of the best wet-trackers in training, with four of his six career wins coming on heavy going.
TAB Fixed Odds price assessors have Cool Jakey as the $2.80 favourite to cope with the famous Randwick “mile” course.
Pride also has Storm The Ramparts ($8) and Testator Silens ($18) lining up in the Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m).
Storm The Ramparts resumed with a close second to Lulumon at Gosford two weeks ago while Testator Silens was sixth behind stablemates Dragonstone and In Flight in the Hawkesbury Rush earlier this month.
“I thought Storm The Ramparts went really well at Gosford and this looks a good race for him as he handles heavy tracks,’’ Pride said.
“Testator Silens is getting ready for a 1300m race on June 7 and needs this run but I’m hoping he is hitting the line.’’
Excelladus has 62kg and a wide barrier but does get his preferred heavy track surface for the Magnolia Lane Financial Services Handicap (1400m).
“He was disappointing at Hawkesbury last start but hopefully he will bounce back on Saturday as he races well at Randwick,’’ Pride said.
Pride has sent the talented Accredited to Melbourne in search of drier tracks with the sprinter lining up in the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1400m) at Sandown.
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RACEGOERS CAN BACK CAUSE
The Australian Turf Club joins with longstanding charity partner Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation at Royal Randwick on Saturday in support of outreach nurses helping young cancer patients.
Saturday’s meeting is the 18th anniversary of the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation Day with 400 guests at a special function raising funds and awareness.
It will add to the more than $15 million already raised for nurses to help children with cancer remain at home for as long as possible while undergoing treatment.
The Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation was started in 1998 by former Australian Cricket Captain Mark Taylor, rugby league legend the late Reg Gasnier, Olympian Raelene Boyle and triple AFL Brownlow Medalist Bob Skilton.
The Foundation’s Jack Hughes said: “In 2023/2024 the outreach program has provided care for 974 kids with cancer across regional NSW by implementing specialised paediatric oncology care, addressing critical gaps in service delivery.
“Fundraising at our annual Royal Randwick race day provides vital support for our outreach nurses.”
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STORM SET TO STRIKE IN IRELAND
Coolmore’s crack colt Storm Boy is set to make his debut for Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien in the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh on Sunday morning (AEST).
The brilliant Storm Boy, who will be ridden by O’Brien’s stable jockey Ryan Moore, has eight rivals and is the $2.60 favourite in early betting.
O’Brien is readying Storm Boy for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.
This is the same program O’Brien set for another former Australian sprinter, Merchant Navy, who won both races seven years ago.
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The Newcastle provincial meeting on Saturday boasts two runners closely related to two former champions who earned Australian Horse of the Year honours.
In the two-year-old race over 900m, the Nathan Doyle-trained Divo makes his debut after two impressive recent barrier trial wins.
Divo is out of Demand Attention, herself a daughter of the legendary Makybe Diva, famous for her unprecedented hat-trick of Melbourne Cup wins in 2003-04-05, and Horse of the Year in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
Then later in the program, Godolphin’s Blue Willow is trying to improve off the two minor placings she’s managed to begin her career in a 1400m maiden.
Blue Willow is by Blue Point out of Anamato which makes her a half sister to Anamoe, winner of nine Group 1 races and the Horse of the Year title in 2002-03.
Originally published as Chris Waller has four shots at Group 1 record in Doomben Cup
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