As Gai Waterhouse sets her sights on a seventh Doncaster Mile victory she has stiff competition from premier trainer Chris Waller who could have five runners as he goes for his third win in Saturday’s feature at Randwick.
The Waterhouse-trained More Joyous is the early $5 favourite with Shoot Out the best supported of the Waller runners on the third line of betting at $9.
Rangirangdoo, the 2010 winner, is not a certain starter but the rest of Waller’s team – Metal Bender, Danleigh and Albert The Fat – have been primed for the race.
All five Waller stablemates are Group One winners in their own right and have earned their places in the field.
“Rangirangdoo is only 50-50,” Waller said.
“I’ve got to get my head around how he can win with 58 (kilograms).
“He is the worst off at the weights of my runners but when you’ve won a race, you want to win it again.
“But realistically the Queen Elizabeth is his race.”
The Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) is at weight-for-age a week after the Doncaster.
Shoot Out, winner of the 2010 Randwick Guineas and Australian Derby when in the care of John Wallace, returned to the Group One winners’ list in last month’s Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m).
He then ran third to Manighar in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) on March 24 and was tuned up with a barrier trial last week.
“He has come through the race and the trial well,” Waller said.
“He is well weighted (56.5kg). He is a good Randwick horse and Hugh Bowman sticks with him.
Metal Bender, the 2009 Randwick Guineas and Rosehill Guineas winner when trained by the late Jack Denham and the 2010 Doomben Cup under Waller, has had a history of injury and also suffered a bleeding attack.
At his second run back from a year off, he delighted Waller with victory in the Group One George Ryder Stakes.
“He pulled up fine and seems to have come back close to his best,” he said.
“He is also good at Randwick and Michael Rodd sticks with him.”
Emirates Stakes winner Albert The Fat, was less than three lengths from Metal Bender when ninth in a blanket finish to the George Ryder while Danleigh was 13th in the race he won two years ago.
Danleigh won the Chipping Norton last year and finished second to Shoot Out this time around.
“Kerrin McEvoy will ride Danleigh,” Waller said.
“He won the (2009) Manikato on him and we’ve had a bit of luck with Kerrin when we are able to get him.”
McEvoy is the number one rider for Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Australia but Waller is always keen to snap him when he is not needed.
The Doncaster is a race especially close to Waller’s heart with Triple Honour giving the trainer his first Group One winner when as a three-year-old, he edged out Casino Prince.
