Champion trainers Ciaron Maher, Chris Waller again poised to rewrite record books

Chris Waller has set a new benchmark for Group 1s won in the first four months of a season, while Ciaron Maher’s prizemoney tally has already soared to stratospheric levels.

Champion trainers Ciaron Maher (left) and Chris Waller.

Champion trainers Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher are on track for record-breaking seasons after both men had stunning success during the spring carnival.

Since August 1, Waller has already prepared 10 Group 1 winners which is the most by any trainer after less than four months of a racing season.

During the same period, Maher has trained the winner of $34.7 million prizemoney which is also an unmatched figure.

Of course, there are more Group 1 races in Australia this season and there has been an exponential prizemoney surge in recent years but this should not detract from either trainer’s phenomenal start to the 2024-25 season.

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The trainers can add to their records at Caulfield on Saturday with Waller represented by $3 favourite Aeliana in the Group 1 $1.5 million Thousand Guineas, and Maher having the top three in early betting for the Group 1 $1 million Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes with Another Wil ($3), Jimmysstar ($4) and Southport Tycoon ($5).

Waller is in the box seat to claim the title of leading Group 1 trainer for the 13th successive season after his stable dominated the Sydney and Melbourne spring carnival.

The Hall of Fame trainer prepared 10 major winners including four at the elite level with super mare Via Sistina – Winx Stakes, Turnbull Stakes, Cox Plate and Champion Stakes.

Waller also won Group 1 races with Lady Shenandoah (Flight Stakes), Land Legend (The Metropolitan), Buckaroo (Underwood Stakes), Private Life (Caulfield Guineas), Atishu (Empire Rose Stakes) and Switzerland (Coolmore Stud Stakes).

No trainer has ever managed to prepare 10 Group 1 winners by the end of Melbourne Cup Week.

The previous best was also achieved by Waller in 2015/16 when he had nine major race winners by the same stage of the season.

  

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Waller also prepared eight Group 1 winners by the end of the Flemington spring carnival in 2018/19 and then finished that season with an all-time record of 18 major race winners, eclipsing the best results achieved by legendary trainers Tommy Smith (17 Group wins set in 1979/80) and Bart Cummings (16 wins in 1974/75).

Via Sistina has already put herself into the frame for Horse of the Year this season with her four majors.

Since the Group and Listed Classification race system was introduced in 1979, only two horses have won four majors by the end of the spring carnival and both won Horse of the Year – Winx (2018/19) and Anamoe (2022/23).

Waller said after Via Sistina’s amazing eight lengths Cox Plate victory, careful thought was given to whether the mare went to the Melbourne Cup, Japan Cup or Hong Kong International Cup before connections determined the Champion Stakes would be her final race of the spring.

But despite Via Sistina’s spectacular wins, Waller nominated Switzerland’s brilliant win in the stallion-making Coolmore Stud Stakes as his highlight of the spring carnival.

“We missed The Everest with Switzerland which was a lineball call and those decisions are only justified when they come out and win,’’ Waller said.

“But for him to not only win but to win as impressively as he did probably earned himself a trip overseas (Royal Ascot) and a spot on the Coolmore stallion roster.’’

Maher has trained three Group 1 winners – Bella Nipotina (The Everest), Duke De Sessa (Caulfield Cup) and Southport Tycoon (Manikato Stakes) – and is the first to prepare more than 100 winners on all tracks this season, taking his stable earnings to an unprecedented $34.7 million.

  

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With more than eight months of the season remaining, Maher can rewrite racing history and smash the all-time prizemoney record.

Waller set the record last season when he trained the winners of $51,669,540, but only just holding off Maher with $51,496,610.

It was the first season a trainer broke the $50 million prizemoney barrier.

Waller isn’t out of the 2024-25 prizemoney race either having already trained the winners of $25.3 million.

Superstar rider James McDonald is on his way to a sixth consecutive leading Group 1 jockey title after riding six major race winners of more $17.6 million to lead both categories

Originally published as Champion trainers Ciaron Maher, Chris Waller again poised to rewrite record books