A pair of Group-performed colts from the Chris Waller stable will face important tests this weekend, but it could be an untapped stablemate that steals the show.
Former Victorian-trained three-year-old Coleman, who finished runner-up in the 2024 Golden Slipper when prepared by Matt Laurie, will make his debut for the leading yard in the Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday, looking to make a strong first impression.
While he was a dual acceptor for the Hawkesbury Gold Rush (1100m), Coleman was scheduled to leave for Queensland by float on Wednesday evening.
In Sydney, Gatsby’s has undergone a key gear change as he bids to bounce back in the Hawkesbury Guineas (1200m) after his form tapered off following a solid first-up third in the Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in February.
“(Jockey) Nash (Rawiller) gave us a strong push to take the blinkers off and step him up in distance,” Waller’s assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said of Gatsby’s.
“We’ve done exactly that. He goes from 1200 to 1400.
“He galloped (Saturday) morning in blinkers and he doesn’t feel as sharp but relaxes beautifully without them. We’re hopeful that might help because he is a nice horse. We think he is trying hard so if he can bounce back it would be good.”
Coleman is returning from a mixed spring in which he raced competitively in a brace of Group 1 sprints against older horses and placed in the Roman Consul Stakes (1200m).
His form dipped at the final two runs of his preparation but Duckworth said he had pleased the stable in two recent barrier trials and would wear a nose roll for the first time this weekend.
“Both his trials have been exceptional,” Duckworth said.
“He has been really tractable. We have tinkered with his headgear a little bit and I think that has helped him relax a little bit better. Hopefully he can be explosive.”
Also scheduled to resume in Brisbane on Saturday is Emirate.
The lightly raced colt won his first two starts before finishing fifth in both The Run To The Rose (1200m) and Golden Rose (1400m) last spring.
He was held in high enough regard to head to Melbourne for a shot at the Coolmore Stud Stakes won by barn mate Switzerland but didn’t make the race due to the discovery of bone chips.
“He had chips removed from his fetlocks. It became apparent when he jumped out prior to the Coolmore so it might have even been from the Golden Rose,” Duckworth said.
“He was one of our genuine top liners. It was a toss-up whether James (McDonald) would ride him or Switzerland in a Coolmore.”
Waller has been happy to take a softly, softly approach to begin Emirate’s campaign and the colt will resume in a three-year-old race at Eagle Farm.
