Champion trainer Chris Waller reveals autumn plans for Shinzo and Militarize

Trainer Chris Waller has revealed the autumn carnival plans for his superstar colts, Shinzo and Militarize.

Shinzo wins the Golden Slipper.

Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller has no fears asking outstanding three-year-old colts Shinzo and Militarize to take on older horses at the elite level again when they begin their autumn carnival race campaigns.

Waller is considering starting Shinzo first-up in either the weight-for-age Canterbury Stakes (Royal Randwick) or the Newmarket Handicap (Flemington), both Group 1 sprints run on the same day (March 9).

Militarize is more forward in his preparation and could resume as early as Saturday week (February 17) in the weight-for-age Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Royal Randwick.

Shinzo was withdrawn from a Rosehill barrier trial on Monday with Waller preferring to take the glamour colt to the Randwick trials session on Thursday.

Waller said he needs to talk with Shinzo’s owners, Coolmore Australia, before confirming the colt’s autumn carnival campaign.

Ryan Moore lands the Golden Slipper! @cwallerracing's Shinzo gives the Brit a 170th Group 1 as he lands the $5 million race for @CoolmoreAus... pic.twitter.com/3zq580Odpn

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 18, 2023

“I haven’t spoken to Coolmore yet, (but) I’ve briefed them on my thoughts,’’ Waller said.

“It will either be Canterbury Stakes first-up or the Newmarket Handicap first-up.’’

Shinzo hasn’t raced a winless three-race spring campaign that culminated with a third in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes behind Ozzmosis. He also contested The Everest where he ran ninth behind Think About It.

Shinzo wins the Golden Slipper.

Golden Slipper winner Shinzo will contest a 900m course proper trial on Thursday that includes potential carnival contenders Ruthless Dame, Raf Attack and Strait Acer.

The Randwick trials session also features trainer Matthew Smith’s gifted sprinter Buenos Noches, who is contesting the opening heat against five rivals including Palmetto, Stroke Of Luck and Perfect Thought.

Militarize, who provided the Waller stable with the coveted juvenile triple crown last year when he won the ATC Sires Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes to complement Shinzo’s Golden Slipper, scored a stunning win in the Group 1 Golden Rose last spring before being spelled after his close, luckless eighth in Romantic Warrior’s Cox Plate.

“I’m toying with the idea of running Militarize in the Apollo first-up,’’ Waller revealed.

“That would give us three weeks into the Randwick Guineas. If he didn’t run there he could go to the Hobartville Stakes then two weeks into the Randwick Guineas.

“But if something goes wrong and you miss the Hobartville, you’ve ruined your chance in the Randwick Guineas.

Militarize wins the Golden Rose.

“I’m pretty keen to go Apollo then three weeks into the Randwick Guineas.”

Waller also revealed the reasons he decided to withdraw Coolmore’s unbeaten two-year-old Switzerland from the Inglis Millennium at Randwick on Saturday to concentrate on setting the colt for the $5 million TAB Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 23.

“It was a hard decision to make, we fully respect the prizemoney of the (Inglis Millennium) race,’’ Waller said.

WHAT A WIN! 🤯

MILITARIZE CLAIMS THE GOLDEN ROSE! 🌹@cwallerracing@[e-mail]/tVdpOLGeo2

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 23, 2023

“If Switzerland’s to get to a Golden Slipper he is going to have to do it in one ‘prep’ and I just feel two weeks after his first-up run isn’t really fair on the horse.

“But if I go three weeks into his second-up run then three weeks into his third-up run, then we can go two weeks into the Slipper.”

Switzerland is expected to have his next start in the Pierro Plate (1100m) at Royal Randwick on February 17 as he draws inevitable comparisons with Shinzo.

“This colt (Switzlerand) is pretty sharp,’’ Waller said.

“Shinzo got there (Golden Slipper) in the last week, this horse is pretty sharp and pretty responsive, whereas Shinzo was all class and just got there in time.”

Originally published as Champion trainer Chris Waller reveals autumn plans for Shinzo and Militarize