Sydney’s top trainer looks to his homeland to provide Australian Oaks upset
By Craig Kerry
Champion Sydney trainer and ex-pat New Zealander Chris Waller says he’s always been wary of chances from his homeland coming over to contest the Australian Oaks.
This year he’s happy to be on their side.
Damian Lane takes Belle Detelle, centre, to victory in the Adrian Knox Stakes last Saturday at Randwick.Credit: Getty Images
Waller will unveil New Zealand Oaks champion Leica Lucy in the $1 million group 1 over 2400m at Randwick on Saturday.
Leica Lucy won six from seven starts in New Zealand with trainer Robbie Patterson to begin her career, finishing that run with a half-length victory in the group 1 Oaks at Trentham on March 22.
Waller said his new addition, which has gate one and leading hoop James McDonald to ride, had “settled in really well”. The $4.20 Sportsbet chance looms as the main challenger to boom Victorian filly Treasurethe Moment ($1.65), which is aiming for an eighth consecutive victory and third group 1.
“Every year when I’ve got a runner in the race, I always fear the New Zealand horses, so that’s a change this year that we’ve actually got one in the camp,” Waller said.
Chris Waller poses with his horse Aeliana last Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
“And the other filly we’ve got, Belle Detelle, she’s New Zealand-bred, so I hope New Zealand is spruiking on Saturday night with an Oaks victory.”
Belle Detelle, a $9 hope with Tommy Berry to pilot from gate seven, was an impressive winner of the group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes last week at Randwick and will back up if Waller is happy with her condition on race day.
Aeliana was another potential Waller-trained rival for Treasurethe Moment, but she has been spelled after her Australian Derby cakewalk last Saturday.
“She’s had a long campaign, she did a great job getting to the 1000 Guineas in late November, she had a quick turnaround to get ready for the Hobartville, then she’s gone Randwick Guineas, Rosehill Guineas, into a Derby,” Waller said.
James McDonald will ride Leica Lucy in the Sydney Cup.Credit: Getty Images
“So I think we would have been a bit harsh to run her in the Oaks after running so well last week.
“She’s got a bright future if we look after her and I think we’d rather have that than just possibly another trophy on the cabinet, and you have to take on a very good horse in Treasurethe Moment.”
Meanwhile, Waller has seven of the 20 runners in the $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m). Birdman was the shortest-priced of the contingent at $8.50, but the master trainer was not counting out his other chances, especially Valiant King.
The $23 chance was three-and-a-half-lengths off Sydney Cup favourite Alalcance ($2.45) last Saturday in the Chairman’s Quality (2600m). The five-year-old, 13th in last year’s Melbourne Cup, has drawn out in 16 but will carry only 50kg with Reece Jones aboard.
Birdman, also carrying 50kg, has drawn gate one with Zac Lloyd to ride.
“They will all run,” Waller said of his cup team.
“It’s their grand final and two miles is just a unique race. You can almost throw out their lead-up runs and just make sure they’ve run the mileage, and they are fit and ready to go two miles.
“I really like Valiant King. I just think the way he’s come back compared to where he was heading into the Melbourne Cup, I think he’s improved. And he was only beaten five lengths in the Melbourne Cup. He’s had the perfect prep.
“Birdman is probably the spruik horse of ours, with his good run last week and he’s a young, relatively untried horse, but the two miles, it’s a unique race.
“We’ve got some old boys there that haven’t been running that well and need to step up, but the two miles ... the Melbourne Cup is a big-priced trifecta every year. There’s always one that can sneak in, so hopefully one or two of ours can do that.”
His other runners are recently imported Yulong purchases Zarir ($67) and River Of Stars ($21), as well as Francesco Guardi ($201), Tajanis ($35) and Strathtay ($31).
An upset in the Oaks or Cup will likely add to a big day for Waller’s star-studded team, which has the short-priced favourites in the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Via Sistina), group 1 Queen Of The Turf (Fangirl) and group 1 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (Autumn Glow).