Chris Waller opened the Rosehill Boxing Day meeting with yet another victory but the leading trainer would have loved to have seen more people watching Hawkspur continue a winning streak.
Hawkspur made it three wins on the trot with victory against a small field in the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1900m) in front of disappointing crowd of racegoers at the Sydney racetrack.
“It’s hard to begrudge Sydney racing but just bear a thought that Melbourne are racing for $80,000 today and we’re racing for $42,000,” Waller said.
“I’m not whingeing at all, but we’ve got to promote these types of days.
“We’ve got to get people to the races. People had their big family day yesterday and want something to do. Create a bit of atmosphere and have a short, sharp program to get people to the track.
“I’ve got a family too and I want them to come when there’s an atmosphere.”
The Summer Cup meeting on Boxing Day is traditionally held at Randwick but has been shifted to Rosehill while Randwick’s facilities are being renovated.
Randwick will be available for autumn carnival racing but Waller is looking to the Brisbane winter with Hawkspur.
He said lead-up races to the Queensland Derby would be likely targets.
Corey Brown has been aboard for all of Hawkspur’s wins and Waller resisted the temptation to use a claiming apprentice despite the gelding’s 59kg.
“I was tossing and turning all week about whether I should have been claiming on him or not but Corey got him into winning form and now he’s won three in a row with Corey on,” Waller said.
“He just keeps taking another step. He had a bit of weight today but he beat them fair and square.”
