Chris Waller will saddle up to five runners in his quest for a fourth win in the Gosford Gold Cup but in a rare position for the champion trainer, all are set to start at double-figure odds.
Waller has First Light ($101), Etna Rosso ($26), Scarlet Oak ($15), Medatsu ($13) and Mr Waterville ($41) in Saturday’s 2100m feature and confirmed the market’s top pick of his quintet, Medatsu, would back up from his fourth in last Friday’s Wagga Cup (2000m).
The gelding settled worse than midfield in the country feature and made late ground, Waller hoping a low draw in barrier two at Gosford would enable him to take up a handier position.
“From a wide draw the other day he just got a long way back so we will try to use the draw and have him a bit closer,” Waller said.
“He ticks a few boxes and he’s a decent horse.”
Medatsu has been racing consistently without winning, finishing fifth in the Albury Cup (2000m) two starts ago before his fourth at Wagga and top jockey Kerrin Mcevoy sticks with him.
Waller has had to pivot the campaign of stablemate Mr Waterville, who was being aimed towards the Sydney Cup (3200m) but missed out on a start when he was made an emergency.
While his best form is over genuine staying trips, he has been freshened since a midfield effort in the Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) and Waller is hoping the Gosford race can provide a springboard towards next month’s Brisbane Cup (3200m).
“He’s had lots of excuses along the way but he’s well and he’s a rough place chance on Saturday,” Waller said.
Top weight Klondike is unlikely to take his place from a wide draw with co-trainer Tom Charlton saying they may instead look at options interstate, including the Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington on Saturday week.
The import started well in the market for his Australian debut in the JRA Plate (2000m) but settled back in the field from an awkward draw and never threatened in a leader dominated race.
“We had a slightly negative run with him the other day and we don’t want to do the same thing again,” Charlton said.
The Gosford Gold Cup (2100m), which carries Big Dance eligibility, has attracted a field of 14 headed by defending titleholder Hezashocker ($5) for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr yard.
