Hours after Winx was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame, trainer Chris Waller celebrated another achievement as talented colt Sambro won for the first time.
The two-year-old provided Waller’s 200th win at Warwick Farm when the $3.30 favourite beat the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Icon Of Dubai ($6) by 1-3/4 lengths over 1400m.
Padraig ($6.50) was a head back in third on his Australian debut for co-trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
Waller, who first experienced success at the Sydney track in 2000 with Gem’s Blood, was relieved Samdro finally got off the mark in his fourth start.
Sambro was $420,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year –
“You pay a bit of money for some of these colts so it’s good to see them firing,” Waller said.
“He has ability, it’s just been a matter of putting it all together.
“He’s done a few little things wrong in his earlier races but I think the writing was on the wall last start that he was certainly ready to win.”
Waller said the Group One JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 10 was now a target for Sambro.
“With Press Statement we ran in Sydney and just had one run in Queensland so we’ll probably follow a similar path,” Waller said, as the colt bids to emulate 2015 JJ Atkins winner Press Statement.
Waller ruled out a tilt at the Group Two Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m) at Eagle Farm on May 27, saying that was stablemate Tangled’s domain.
Waller credited jockey Hugh Bowman for enabling Sambro to break his duck.
“It was a nice ride. He managed to get cover from that wide gate and showed a good turn of foot as they straightened,” Waller said.
Bowman, who also guided John Thompson’s three-year-old filly Loveletter to her maiden win in a 1400m handicap, ended the meeting with three winners.
