Emerging gelding Nobler is in line to book himself a spot on Chris Waller’s spring carnival team if he can stretch his brilliance to 2000 metres and notch his third successive win at Rosehill.
The former Irish galloper is in his first Australian campaign but has been quick to make an impression, breaking through over a mile at Randwick two starts ago and following with another impressive performance over the same journey at Gosford.
A winner over 1911m overseas, Nobler will test the middle-distance waters locally for the first time in Saturday’s Ranvet Handicap (2000m) with a view to potentially stretching him even further to a Metropolitan (2400m) in the spring.
“We’re trying him out over further but there has been so much positive talk about him from home, which is always a good sign,” Waller said.
“I’m hoping he can win Saturday and suggest he could be a ‘Metrop’ horse if we backed off him.”
Stable apprentice Siena Grima will partner Nobler, while Andrew Adkins retains the mount on Verry Elleegant’s close relation, Belle Detelle, in the same race.
The winner of last year’s Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m), Belle Detelle finished a close fifth to Treasurethe Moment in the Australian Oaks (2400m) but mixed her form when returning as an older horse in the spring.
She indicated she had her hoof on the till with a last start second to stablemate Sounds Unusual over 1800m at Rosehill, but Waller wanted to see her continue to improve her race craft before extending her much further in trip.
“I want to see her do things right,” he said.
“She ran well in the Oaks, and then she went missing last ‘prep’.
“Andrew Adkins rode her really well the other day, and he rides her again on Saturday.”
Import Masoun will also take his place for apprentice William Stanley, Waller hoping a change of environment sparks him after two disappointing performances in Victoria.
“His two runs down there have been a bit plain, but he’s up to this distance which will suit,” he said.
