Scream Park will return home to New Zealand for the inaugural Karaka Million 3YO Classic despite being beaten at Randwick.
Trainer Chris Waller was hoping for a third successive win at Randwick on Saturday but Scream Park weakened in the run home and had to settle for fourth in the five-horse field, 2-1/4 lengths behind Aqua D’ivina.
“He’ll go, only just though,” Waller said.
“Obviously when you’re travelling you like to be going with a win next to your name.”
Sydney’s premier trainer was underwhelmed before getting some positive feedback from jockey Hugh Bowman.
“He was a bit of a sitting duck and as they sprinted he was a bit flat footed and as a result it was a plain run,” Waller said.
“Hugh said don’t be disappointed and he’s a very good judge to have aboard.”
Scream Park, who is eligible for the $1 million race because he was bought at the Karaka sale, will be a first for Waller as the first stable runner he has witnessed in New Zealand since he relocated to Sydney in 2000.
“I had a runner at Riccarton a few years ago,. There hasn’t been many,” he said.
Waller said adding the 3YO Classic to its $1 million equivalent for two-year-olds on January 27 was a smart move, as was moving the meeting to a Saturday.
“They need to get that Magic Millions type of feel. We all know what that’s about in Australia, and most of New Zealand does as well,” he said.
“It’s a great chance for New Zealand to showcase what they’ve got and I think they should put another couple of Group One races on and bring the Aussies over, or other horses from around the world.”
