Stablemates Aleas and Irish Sequel resume their rivalry in the Lord Mayor’s Cup and trainer Chris Waller does not expect there to be much between them.
The pair has been on the same path this autumn, finishing fourth and fifth respectively behind O’President at Newcastle, before Irish Sequel edged out his stablemate over 1800m at Randwick two starts ago.
It was Aleas’ turn to get a win on the board on a good track in the Wagga Cup (2000m), with Irish Sequel fifth, but back on a rain-affected surface at Rosehill on Saturday, Irish Sequel is expected to be much more competitive.
“Aleas would be our No.1 seed on his recent form,” Waller said.
“His Wagga Cup win was good and since he has been in Australia, he has been very good.
“Irish Sequel will probably even it up a little bit despite not being suited at the weights. He is entitled to be on the minimum, but he will certainly improve on a soft to heavy track.”
Waller will also be represented by The Frontman, who needs to lift on his recent form, and topweight So You Win, who resumed with a sound midfield effort in the Hawkesbury Cup (1600m).
He gets to his preferred distance of 2000m and has won three of his eight second-up starts, although Waller is wary of his 59.5kg impost.
“So You Win is a good horse on his day, he is certainly carrying his share of weight though,” he said.
“His first-up run at Hawkesbury was good and these are his types of races.
“With the big weight, he will keep them all honest.”
Aleas sits on the second line of TAB fixed odds markets at $4.80, just shading Irish Sequel ($5) with The Frontman ($17) and So You Win ($19) both at double-figure odds.
Heavy track specialist Bethencourt is a $4.20 favourite to extend his winning sequence to three.
