Champion trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald again head Group 1 premierships

Champion trainer and jockey combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald again sit at the top of the Group 1 tree.

Chris Waller and James McDonald were again the leading Group 1 winning trainer and jockey respectively. Picture: AAP Image

Hall of Famer Chris Waller has retained the nation’s leading Group 1 trainer title for the 10th consecutive season.

And James McDonald has won the jockey’s Group 1 premiership for the second year in succession. Sydney’s all-conquering trainer and jockey both won 11 Group 1 races during the 2021-22 season, combining most recently with super sprinter Nature Strip for a famous win in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

In fact, McDonald won eight Group 1 races for Waller on champions Nature Strip and Verry Elleegant, both three-time winners at the top level, and two-time major winner Home Affairs.

Nature Strip provided Chris Waller and James McDonald with three Group 1 wins this season. Picture: Getty Images

McDonald also won Group 1 races on Godolphin duo Anamoe and Cascadian, and the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki.

Waller’s Group 1 bounty was boosted by Nature Strip, Verry Elleegant and Home Affairs, and also included big-race wins from Hinged, Fangirl and September Run.

There were 74 Group 1 races during 2021-22 with Nature Strip, Verry Elleegant, Incentivise and Hitotsu the only horses to win three times at the top level.

Nature Strip’s success at Royal Ascot coupled with his triumph in The Everest virtually ensures he will retain the Horse of the Year title he won in 2019-20.

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The Australian Turf Club has honoured the memory of Nick Moraitis by naming a race after him at Rosehill on Saturday.

Moraitis, the popular owner of Hall of Fame champion Might And Power, passed away earlier this week. He was 87.

The ATC has honoured the memory of the late Nick Moratis (right) who passed away this week.

There would be a touching symmetry to the result of the Vale Nick Moraitis Handicap if it was won by Yiyi, part-owned by the late Anton Koolman.

Koolman, 82, passed away last weekend. He was an astute horseman associated with many topliners including The Autumn Sun and Egg Tart in recent years. He is also in the ownership of Rosehill runners Monte Ditto (race 3), Green Flash (race 6) and Zing and Tinnie Winnie (race 8).

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Serpentine, runaway winner of the 2020 English Derby, makes his Australian debut at Flemington on Saturday.

Team Williams have purchased the former Aidan O’Brien-trained stayer who is now being prepared by Robert Hickmott at Mount Macedon. A chestnut gelding by super sire Galileo, Serpentine is lining up in the Winter Championship Final (1600m).

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Racing’s great sweepstake kicks off Friday with tickets going on sale for The Kosciuszko, run at Royal Randwick in October.

For just $5, punters could get the chance to nominate a runner to compete in the $1.3 million event – the world’s richest race for country-trained horses.

Tickets can be purchased on the TAB app, TAB agencies, pubs, clubs and at race meetings.