God’s Window has attracted good early support in all-in betting in this Saturday’s Shannon Stakes at Rosehill, but Chris Waller would happily bypass a shot at it with the import.
Not because the champion trainer thinks the $300,000 Group 2 is out of his grasp, rather because he thinks he has a shot an an even bigger win second-up.
Waller is eying the following week’s $1.5 million Group 1 Epsom Handicap with the gelding and would love to go straight to that 1600-metre event.
But with just 50kg and being well down in the ballot order, he is not guaranteed a start, which means Waller might have to chase the ballot exemption that accompanies victory in Saturday’s 1500m event.
The imported son of Dubawi ran in the Group 1 Derby (2414m) at Epsom as a three-year-old, but posted his only win in Australia at 1600m and Waller has a suspicion he is better suited to that trip.
“It’s funny, some of those English horses, you think they’re going to get 2000 metres,” Waller said.
“Some of them find some speed in Australia as well, and he certainly has. His best form has been over shorter.”
The six-year-old resumed with a fifth placing in the Group 2 Theo Marks Quality (1300m), which was his first start since a third placing in the McKell Cup (2000m) on June 27.
His two previous starts realised a win and a second placing over the Epsom Handicap course at Randwick.
A $51 chance in Epsom betting, God’s Window is one of three Shannon Stakes entries for Waller, who also had Ahha Ahha and Kovalica in contention for a start.
Favourite for the Shannon Stakes is the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Skyhook, who was a first-up winner of the Group 3 Theo Marks Quality.
