Lindermann would not be out of place in Saturday’s $6 million Group 1 Cox Plate, but Chris Waller has no regrets about keeping Lindermann in Sydney this campaign.
The six-year-old will be out to continue his spring resurgence when he chases a second-straight win in the $750,000 Group 3 Craven Plate (1800m) at Randwick.
Lindermann heads there off a win in the $2 million Group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m), which followed a narrow second to Fangirl in the $1m 7 Stakes (1600m) and a Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) win over Sir Delius.
The front-runner would be far from the roughest in a Cox Plate crying out for a leader following the scratching of Globe on Thursday, but Waller was keen to use this spring to build Lindermann’s confidence ahead of potentially more aggressive placement in 2026.
“We chose to stick to Sydney, leave the Cox Plate alone and get him back on top,” Waller said.
“We’ll let him think he’s the top dog and we can have a good look in the autumn and try and measure up in Ranvets and Queen Elizabeths if we desire.
“He’s won a Hill Stakes worth good money, he’s been running behind the right horses when he hasn’t been winning and he’s ready to go Saturday.”
Lindermann did not win in nine starts between last year’s Craven Plate and last month’s Chelmsford Stakes, but ran top-three four times including Group 1 placings behind Via Sistina in the Verry Elleegant Stakes and Ranvet Stakes.
He has banked $1,527,000 this campaign, with a $430,000 Craven Plate winner’s purse also on offer, which has lifted the Rosehill Guineas winner’s career earnings to $3,635,550.
Lindermann’s regular rider Nash Rawiller will again be aboard the $1.55 favourite on Saturday with the pair to jump from barrier two in the event that is down to a field of seven following the scratching of Pocketing.
