Chris Waller’s incredible training achievement one for the ages
CHRIS Waller has set a standard to stand the test of time with his Sydney record of 169 wins for the season, writes Ray Thomas in his Monday column.
Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
CHRIS Waller has set a standard to stand the test of time with his Sydney record of 169 wins for the season.
The trainer’s treble with Harlem Lady, Pioneering and Marenostro at Rosehill on Saturday ensured he broke his previous best of 167.5 Sydney wins set three years ago despite 10 fewer race meetings in 2015-16.
Waller’s achievement is phenomenal and the Australian Turf Club plans a special presentation to the trainer at Royal Randwick’s Missile Stakes season-opener on Saturday.
He is the only trainer capable of challenging his record in years to come but it is doubtful even he could train 170-plus city winners because the competition is getting stronger.
Godolphin’s John O’Shea has been in the role for two years now and his stable is building considerable depth.
Similarly, Peter and Paul Snowden will have a lot more older horses in their stable in the new season and will win their share of Sydney races.
Gai Waterhouse and Team Hawkes remain formidable training forces, Joe Pride, Gerald Ryan and Anthony Cummings prepare plenty of winners, while young guns James Cummings and Bjorn Baker continue to grow their stable’s presence in Sydney.
WALLER OFF PACE WITH BABIES
ONE area where Waller can make gains in the new season is the two-year-old division.
Waller prepared the winners of 11 juvenile races during 2015-16, well behind the leading two-year-old trainers David Hayes and Tom Dabernig (33 wins), O’Shea (32), Waterhouse (27) and Team Snowden (26).
CAPITALIST BEING AIMED AT MISSILE
CAPITALIST, the Golden Slipper winner, will kick off the new season by taking on older horses at weight-for-age in the Group 2 $175,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The Snowden stable has booked Kerrin McEvoy to ride Capitalist at 51.5kg in the Missile Stakes because the super colt’s regular rider Blake Shinn can’t ride that light. Shinn will partner stablemate Tycoon Tara in the feature sprint. Capitalist is striving to become the first Golden Slipper winner to take out the Missile Stakes since Guineas in 1997.
WATCH OUT FOR DIVINO FIREWORKS
EL Divino, the talent-laden half-brother to Winx, is ready to make a name for himself during his three-year-old season if his barrier trial effort to stretch Capitalist at Randwick last Friday is any indication.
Unbeaten in two starts, El Divino will trial again before a return to racing. The Waterhouse-trained colt is being set for the Group 1 Golden Rose next month.
El Divino’s unnamed full-sister (by Snitzel), a $2.3 million Inglis Easter Yearling Sale purchase this year, has already been in and out of the Waterhouse stable as part of her early education for her two-year-old season.
Owner-breeder John Camilleri said broodmare Vegas Showgirl, the dam of Winx and El Divino, is about to give birth to another full-sister to El Divino in the next few days.
ESTEBAN JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER
ESTEBAN made it four straight successes with the most impressive win of the sequence at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Trainer John Sargent agreed it was the most complete performance so far. Esteban proved he was not simply a one-dimensional frontrunner by settling behind leader Lie Direct early before forging clear on the turn for another easy win.
Sargent said Esteban has earned a spell after his outstanding winter form where he has won his four races by an aggregate of 25.75 lengths (average margin of 6.4 lengths per win).
J-MAC DOMINANCE TO THE FORE
JAMES McDonald secured his second Sydney jockeys’ premiership despite missing the final two months riding for Godolphin in England.
McDonald rode 19 winners during his English summer and is expected to return to Sydney to ride at the Warwick Stakes meeting on August 20.
In Brisbane, 55-year-old Jeff Lloyd won the title three years after doctors told him he would never ride again.
C
Pride Of Jenni crowned Australia’s top racehorse
After dazzling Australian racing with her bold frontrunning style, superstar mare Pride Of Jenni has been crowned Australian Racehorse of the Year in Adelaide on Tuesday night.
Ottobre gives Jenni’s Cox Plate lead-up wish
Ciaron Maher has plenty of options with star mare Pride Of Jenni but owner Tony Ottobre has given his preference for her last lead-up run before the Cox Plate.