Champion trainer Chris Waller rapt with San Domenico Stakes favourite Gatsby’s

The manner of Gatsby’s return win exceeded trainer Chris Waller’s expectations and the colt can continue his upward trajectory in the San Domenico Stakes on Saturday.

San Domenico Stakes favourite Gatsby’s even caught champion trainer Chris Waller by surprise.

Waller knew he had a smart colt on his hands but the Hall Of Fame conditioner admits the son of Snitzel has come back better than he could have imagined.

Gatsby’s only had two starts during his two-year-old season, winning at Canterbury on debut before finishing fourth in the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes.

But a statement performance in his first run this campaign has Gatsby’s three-year-old spring prospects on a rapid upward trajectory.

Gatsby’s gave his rivals a lesson first-up in the Listed Rosebud and will look to double the dose in the Group 3 $250,000 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

“We knew he was handy but he has come back better than I expected,” Waller said.

“He has come back as well as I hoped but probably exceeded what I expected.

“We are still learning about him and he looks like a speed horse. He looks like a 1200m speedster.”

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"Gatsby's eased down, different class."

A first-up statement from the promising @cwallerracing colt as Gatsby's turns the Rosebud into a one horse race beating Clear Proof with High Octane in third. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/hxNOJsmzyH

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 17, 2024

Star jockey James McDonald will continue his partnership with Gatsby’s ($2.10 fav), who shades boom galloper Storm Boy ($2.40) for favouritism.

Waller was happy for Gatsby’s to lead a solo assault in the San Domenico – a race he has won twice before with Shellscrape (2009) and Japonisme (2015).

He had considered starting gun stablemate Switzerland but the colt will instead head to the Group 2 Run To The Rose with unbeaten weapon Emirate.

“They were a couple of weeks behind Gatsby’s so I would have been rushing them to run them,” Waller said.

“Switzerland, I was never attending to run him but he has come back so well that I was tempted to.

“We will stick to the Run To The Rose. The spring is long, especially if they have Group 1 challenges along the way.

“You have to get them peaking for a Golden Rose and then again for a Caulfield Guineas or Coolmore Stud Stakes so I just don’t need to have them three races going into the Golden Rose to peak and peak again.”

Gatsby’s will be out to give Chris Waller a third win in the San Dominico Stakes on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Waller, who trained the trifecta of the Group 1 Winx Stakes last Saturday, is every chance of capturing a feature double this week as his boom filly Autumn Glow leads a two-pronged attack in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m).

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Autumn Glow surged into Flight Stakes favouritism with a stunning debut win at the same venue last month and is a $1.80 favourite to remain unbeaten in her maiden stakes test.

Waller had the option of testing her against the fillies in the Princess Series but a light weight in a winnable Up And Coming made it a suitable assignment.

“We were keeping all options open with her and wanted to see how she pulled up after her win,” he said.

“I just thought running her against the Group 2 fillies next week over 1200m might have been a bit sharp for her.

“I know we were taking on a Group race here but at least it’s a handicap, at least that’s what the conditions of the race were but it has been compressed by those couple at the top.

“It was a matter of trying to find the best race for her as a stepping stone.”

Autumn Glow is favourite in the Up And Coming Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Stablemate Aeliana ($34) is one of the outsiders of the Up And Coming Stakes field but Waller believes she’s a filly with plenty of ability and expects she will show it as she gets out in trip.

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Aeliana is a daughter of Rosehill Guineas winner and Cox Plate runner-up Castelvecchio.

She stylishly broke her maiden over 1150m at Randwick Kensington last start.

“Aeliana has an upward profile and is progressing,” Waller said.

“Being a Castelvecchio would suggest she is going to get a bit further yet too.

“I think this race is a bit weaker than normal and it gives both fillies a chance to win some black type.”

Dylan Gibbons will link up with Aeliana while Kerrin McEvoy takes over from Tyler Schiller on Autumn Glow.

Waller is hunting his second victory in the Up And Coming Stakes with his only victory coming via True Detective in 2019.

Originally published as Champion trainer Chris Waller rapt with San Domenico Stakes favourite Gatsby’s