Renowned for his patient approach with two-year-olds, Chris Waller has been happy to let Lazzago find her way to the races pre-Christmas, labelling her as one of the best youngsters on his books this season.
Sydney’s dominant trainer has won most of the major races on the calendar but having never been one to push his juveniles, a Golden Slipper still eludes him.
Lazzago has a long way to go to change that anomaly, but she has made the perfect start to her racing career, upsetting heavily backed favourite Snapback to win the NJT Supports Kate Niperess Handicap (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
“We knew she was pretty special, both of her trials have been very good,” Waller said.
“But until they actually do it on race day, you never really know.
“We will see how she pulls up. She is still very raw and there is a lot of ability still to come.
“But that was a great, confidence-boosting run. She still does a few little things wrong so I’d say we will give her a short break and aim for something nice.”
Waller estimates he has 75 youngsters in his squad this season and says Lazzago “would be right up there” among his most precocious.
“We are looking forward to the autumn with a lot of them,” he said.
Lazzago ($8) was given time to find her feet by Brenton Avdulla before switching around heels in the straight and getting to the outside to give chase to the leaders.
Despite hanging out under pressure, her raw talent was enough to get her home as she ran down Snapback ($1.50 fav) to score by a long neck with race leader Dorothy Gail ($13) holding third another 1-1/4 lengths away.
Lazzago is Waller’s first Sydney two-year-old winner this season and second anywhere for 2022-23 with Chrysaor’s Sunshine Coast victory in November opening his juvenile account.
Raced by the Kepitis family, Lazzago is by 2016 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist and was a $460,000 buy at the Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
