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2024 Melbourne Cup: $101 roughie ‘is this year’s Sheraz’, trainer Chris Waller says

If you’re looking for a ‘grey area’ outside the Melbourne Cup fancies, there’s a horse at massive odds that a Hall of Fame trainer thinks can give the race a real shake.

Ray Thomas
6 min read
November 5, 2024 - 6:30AM
The Chris Waller-trained Valiant King gallops at Flemington last week. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images
The Chris Waller-trained Valiant King gallops at Flemington last week. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller has described $101 bolter Valiant King as “this year’s Sheraz” on the eve of the $8.5 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.

“Every year in the Cup there is always a horse with a big price that runs top three,’’ Waller said.

“Sheraz did it for us last year and we hope Valiant King is this year’s Sheraz.

“Like Sheraz, we know Valiant King will stay the trip.’’

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Waller prepared both minor placegetters in last year’s Melbourne Cup with Soulcombe second and stablemate Sheraz, the $151 outsider, third behind Without A Fight.

The champion trainer had the final word on his five runners in Tuesday’s big race including another $101 chance, Manzoice.

An impressive winner of the Victoria Derby two years ago, Manzoice hasn’t won a race since but Waller said the gelding will appreciate Flemington and should stay a strong 3200m.

Since the Melbourne Cup was first run in 1861, there has been four winners who started at odds of $101 (100/1) – The Pearl (1871), Wotan (1936), Old Rowley (1940) and Prince Of Penzance (2015).

Waller’s other runners are $7 equal favourite Buckaroo, Land Legend ($12) and Kovalica ($23).

• Damien Oliver’s Melbourne Cup tips: The Buck stops with Joao

“Buckaroo has a great form line going into the race,’’ Waller said.

“He won the Underwood Stakes then was narrowly beaten by Via Sistina in the Turnbull Stakes then his run in the Caulfield Cup was very good. He’s drawn a terrible gate (21) but he’s ready to go.’’

Land Legend won The Metropolitan before his third placing in the Caulfield Cup and Waller has made a slight gear adjustment for the stayer.

“We have put ear muffs on to help him relax,’’ Waller said.

“Everything has been working towards getting him to settle and if he does settle he can win the Cup.

“Kovalica is going well and if he stays, anything is possible in a Melbourne Cup, he is certainly not the worst.’’

• EXPERT TIPS: Mark Guest’s race-by-race tips and analysis for Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington

Waller’s concentration is understandably on the Melbourne Cup but he’s also got designs on one of feature races at Royal Randwick with Waterford in the $750,000 Little Dance (1600m).

Waterford, raced by a high profile group of owners including Neil Werret of Black Caviar fame, Max Whitby, media identity Richie Callander, Francis and Christine Cook, and Penrith Panthers chief executive Brian Fletcher, ran a blinder first-up when a fast-finishing third to Here To Shock in the Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill.

“Although Waterford has to carry 62kg and there is a 10kg spread to the bottom weight – which you don’t see often these days – he ran well first-up and should be hard to beat,’’ Waller said.

• Ray & Duff’s Big Dance Day tips, analysis for Randwick on Tuesday

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

SWITZERLAND, one of Waller’s two Group 1 winners on Derby Day, is a chance to race at Royal Ascot next year.

Crack colt Switzerland handled Flemington’s straight track with ease as he toyed with a top quality field of three-year-olds in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Tom Magnier, the Coolmore Australia supremo, said there is every chance Switzerland could end up at Royal Ascot in June for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m).

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

TRAINER Matthew Smith doesn’t believe his stable hopefuls, Floating and Time Quest, should be so far apart in betting for the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Tuesday.

Floating, who excels at Randwick and has won over the mile course, is rated a $26 chance, while former English gallop Time Quest is at $71.

Smith qualified Floating for the Big Dance through his win in the Nowra Cup last December while Time Quest secured a start with his win in the Coffs Harbour Cup in August.

“The Big Dance has been a long time in the planning for both horses, particularly Floating,’’ Smith said.

“As we all know in racing, there are so many things that can go wrong but both horses are really good and we are looking forward to the race.’’

Floating, a six-year-old grey gelding by Puissance De Lune, goes into The Big Dance after winning over the Randwick mile course then running fourth behind St Lawrence over the same course and distance last start.

Time Quest ran very well for third behind Tavi Time at Warwick Farm last start but the Smith-trained gelding is at huge odds while Tavi Time is the $5 second favourite behind Gringotts at $4.

“The barrier (14) doesn’t help Floating but he is going well and is racing a lot more consistently now,’’ Smith added.

Smith nearly had three starters in The Big Dance after imported mare Peshmerga won the Taree Cup last month but decided aiming her at the feature Randwick race on Cup Day.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

OMEN punters looking for a tip in The Big Dance should consider topweight Here To Shock and Hezashocka.

Both are sired by Shocking, the 2009 Melbourne Cup winner, ridden by Corey Brown.

Here To Shock is challenging for Big Dance favouritism at $5.50 while Hezashocka is at $26.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

JOCKEY Mark Zahra is attempting a rare Melbourne Cup hat-trick when he rides Circle Of Fire in the famous Flemington two-miler.

Zahra won successive Melbourne Cups on Gold Trip (2022) and Without Fight (2023).

The only jockey to ride three Cup winners in a row was Glen Boss on Hall Famer Makybe Diva (2003-04-05).

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

TYLER Schiller finally gets the chance to ride in his first Melbourne Cup.

The talented young Sydney jockey was initially booked to ride Fawkner Park but when that horse struggled for form in Melbourne earlier in the spring, the stayer’s Cups campaign was abandoned.

Then Schiller was booked for Muramasa only for that horse to be ruled out by Racing Victoria veterinarians last Thursday.

A disappointed Schiller was resigned to waiting another year for his first Cup ride until Saint George squeezed into the final field and trainer Ciaron Maher booked the lightweight jockey to ride the stayer at 50kg.

Schiller isn’t the only jockey having his first Cup ride on Tuesday. Japan’s Akira Sugawara (Warp Speed), Robbie Dolan (Knight’s Choice), Karis Teetan (Mostly Cloudy) and Winona Costin (Positivity) are experiencing every jockey’s ambition to ride in the Melbourne Cup.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

WHAT THEY SAID

“It’s a childhood dream come true, everything about it is so special. I’m born around Melbourne Cup time, a lot of family history in it as well, it’s a very important race to me. We haven’t been fortunate enough to win it yet (family connections) … hopefully I can go a bit better than them.” — jockey Winona Costin, who rides Positivity.

“Some horses sometimes get better with age and that’s what this guy has done. He’s continued to improve but I couldn’t tell you why he’s improved. He enjoys going the Sydney way, he has a great record going in that direction, and it’s a great opportunity to run for really good money.” — Ben Hayes, trainer of Big Dance hopeful Here To Shock.

“It’s frustrating to draw where we did (barrier 23) because he’s primed to win the race. He’s well and truly the best horse in the race but it does make it tricky from out there. It’s a lot easier than drawing those gates over 1500m at Rosehill, it’s a more forgiving track when you get caught wide. We’ll do our best with what we’ve got and hopefully it’s good enough.” — Tommy Berry, rider of Big Dance favourite Gringotts.

“As you know, you just don’t arrive and pick up the prize. Last year, a lot of people had us marked down for that, but I think our horses’ preparations this year have been good. Vauban’s form has been very good all season and he brings great depth of form into the race. Absurde has done nothing wrong and I think he’s a horse that’s maturing all the time in his mind. Vauban’s form stands out but I don’t know how good the other horse is – he just keeps improving.” — trainer Willie Mullins.

“Zardozi has pulled up perfectly and she is primed to run a big race on Tuesday. If that race had been 2000m, I think she would have been right in the finish. I believe having that run on Saturday gives her the best chance to run out the two miles of the Cup.” — trainer James Cummings.

“The big story here has been TAB punters deserting Buckaroo after the barrier draw with him going $5 out to $7. Zardozi has been the big mover from $21 into $11, and similar interest in Okita Soushi has seen it go from $23 into $13. Land Legend went from $13 out $17 but he has rallied on Monday and is into $12.” — TAB’s Tim Ryan.

Originally published as 2024 Melbourne Cup: $101 roughie ‘is this year’s Sheraz’, trainer Chris Waller says

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/nsw-racing/2024-melbourne-cup-101-roughie-is-this-years-sheraz-trainer-chris-waller-says/news-story/4b0c3034be365f2c3bd7f21d8a1ae456