There will be no repeat of Chris Waller’s clean-sweep of Group One races this weekend with the trainer unrepresented in two of the five top-level events.
Waller won all three Group One races at Randwick on Saturday and the Turnbull Stakes at Caulfield.
He will have runners in the Caulfield Guineas, Toorak Handicap and Caulfield Stakes but does not have a starter in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield or the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick.
Mark Newnham has the Spring Champion favourite, Shadow Hero, as he attempts to win the race for a second consecutive time.
Josh Parr has elected to ride the Gloaming Stakes winner over Castelvecchio, who he rode to win the Champagne Stakes last season.
Newnham has deliberately tailored Shadow Hero’s preparation to longer races, starting him off over 1500 metres in the Dulcify Stakes in which he finished third behind Just Thinkin’ and Subedar after being held up for a run in the straight.
He stepped up to 1800m to win the Gloaming and goes up another 200m in the Spring Champion on his way to the 2500m of the Victoria Derby.
“He always showed he was a natural stayer to me so I have always trained him that way,” Newnham said.
“I started him off over 1400 metres at two, straight to a mile in stakes grade which he won, then a Group One the J J Atkins at his third start.
“He’s had the right build-up again.”
Shadow Hero is the $1.70 favourite for the Spring Champion with Castelvecchio at $3.
The Richard Litt-trained Castelvecchio will now be ridden by Brenton Avdulla who comes off a Group One win aboard Come Play With Me in Saturday’s Group One Metropolitan Handicap.
Tasmanian four-year-old The Inevitable is the $3 favourite for the Silver Eagle (1300m) with the first three placegetters automatic starters in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle on November 2.
The Scott Brunton-trained gelding is at $3 ahead of Fasika, from the Joe Pride stable, at $4.50.
The Inevitable comes to Sydney off the back of two wins in Melbourne, his most recent by four lengths over the well-performed Deprive.
