They have dominated the first Group One race of the Sydney autumn for almost a decade and on Saturday Gai Waterhouse and Chris Waller will be out to continue their reign.
The two training heavyweights have claimed eight of the past 10 Chipping Norton Stakes between them, Waller the past two in succession with Shoot Out (2012) and Danleigh (2011).
Shoot Out - Photo by Steve Hart
On Saturday they will make up more than half the field of 14 with Waller to saddle up six runners and Waterhouse two.
The Waller team includes his two previous winners of the race along with Melbourne Cup fourth placegetter Kelinni.
Waterhouse will start Glencadam Gold and Laser Hawk who both failed to handle the heavy track first-up in the Apollo Stakes.
Laser Hawk is the more favoured of the Waterhouse pair on Saturday at $8 and Monica Barrera, racing manager for owners Gooree Stud and granddaughter of its proprietor Eduardo Cojuangco, says the four-year-old is shaping up well.
“I was there to watch his track gallop on Tuesday and he did everything expected of him,” Barrera said.
“This Saturday will be a good test for him.”
Laser Hawk will be striving to emulate the feat of his half-brother Desert War who won the Chipping Norton for the Waterhouse-Gooree combination in 2006.
