Track conditions will be crucial to the chances of Chris Waller capturing successive Chipping Norton Stakes with old stager Danleigh.
Waller is hoping the Warwick Farm track, rated heavy on Friday, can dry out enough to tip into the slow range come jump time.
One of three runners for Waller along with Shoot Out and Rangirangdoo, Danleigh has won five of eight starts on slow tracks but has just one placing from six attempts on heavy.
“With all three of mine, especially Danleigh, they need a slow track at worst to show their best,” Waller said.
Danleigh’s form is comparable to 12 months ago when he was fourth in the Expressway Stakes and sixth in the Apollo Stakes before claiming the Chipping Norton, the first Group One of the Sydney autumn.
This campaign he finished sixth to the brilliant Rain Affair in the Expressway and third to the same galloper in the Apollo.
Waller says he is going as well as ever.
“He’s a happy horse. He’s still working with the same bit of spark in the step and the same enthusiasm,” Waller said.
“You could say his form is better than going into the race last year which he won.”
Danleigh is $6.50 with TAB Sportsbet which has Cox Plate winner Pinker Pinker the $2.70 favourite.
Shoot Out is the punters’ pick of Waller’s trio at $3.40 with Rangirangdoo a $15 chance.
A dual Group One winner at three, Shoot Out only joined the Waller stable this campaign and has placed behind Rain Affair in the Expressway and Apollo.
Waller says Saturday will be pivotal for the five-year-old.
“All along we’ve thought this race would be a good gauge on whether he gets back to where he used to be, and I still maintain that,” Waller said.
“Although, it might have been be a bit easier to find out on a better surface. His best form has certainly been on good or dead tracks.”
Sentimental favourite Rangirangdoo, a two-time Group One winner despite his career being thwarted by injury, hasn’t threatened at two runs from a spell.
But Waller hasn’t given up on him.
“First-up he went well below what I expected. Second-up he went as well as what I would have expected first-up,” Waller said of Rangirangdoo’s last in the Expressway and ninth in the Apollo.
“So what does that tell you? It tells you we’re probably a race behind where we need to be.
“I think he’s going to improve again tomorrow, how much I don’t know.
“I couldn’t see him improving enough to win the race but I can certainly see him improving enough to show some cheek.”
Waller will also have a chance at Group One success in Melbourne with Albert The Fat to tackle Saturday’s Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
AAP TURF
