New Zealand’s best galloper Wall Street is ready for a tilt at Saturday’s $3 million Tatts Cox Plate (2040m).
Trainer Jeff Lynds, speaking on Sport 927, expressed confidence that he had the horse as well as possible.
Lynds, who trains out of Palmerston North on New Zealand’s North Island, has been privileged to have New Zealand’s two best weight for age horses this year.
In addition to Wall Street, who is a winner of the Thorndon Mile (1600m), Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and Spring Classic (2040m) at Group 1 level, Lynds is also the trainer of Vosne Romanee.
Vosne Romanee won the 2009 Spring Classic (when it was still known as the Kelt Capital Stakes), and then won the Zabeel Classic (2000m), New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and ran fourth in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in April.
However, Montjeu gelding Wall Street is clearly the stable star.
A winner of 10 of his 17 starts, he started his career ingloriously – slapped with a ban for being a barrier rogue.
However, a barnstorming win at his third start at Awapuni in April last year was a sign of things to come.
Progressing through the grades, the 2010 Cox Plate was decided as a target after a very impressive win against New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Tell A Tale in the Group 2 Coupland’s Mile (1600m) at Riccarton last November.
Returning with an unlucky 9th in the Telegraph Handicap (1200m) where he all but fell around the home turn, he proved that he had taken no harm with an easy win in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m).
A concern is that at his first trip to Australia, he finished 11th to Rangirangdoo in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
However, Lynds says that he didn’t settle in at all when he travelled to Sydney.
Conversely, he has settled in remarkably well in Melbourne.
Trackwork watchers at Moonee Valley’s Breakfast With The Stars session on Tuesday morning were impressed with his work, with renowned racecaller David Raphael saying he “worked brilliantly.”
Compared to many New Zealand horses who are rather dour, Wall Street has a remarkable sprint.
“His greatest quality is his turn of foot, it’s quite amazing when he lets down,” Lynds said.
Wall Street is aiming to become the 12th New Zealand trained winner of the Cox Plate.
The last was the mighty mare Sunline, who won back to back Cox Plates in 1999 and 2000.
Wall Street may not quite be at that quality yet, but he is an impressive galloper who is sure to be competitive in a classic Cox Plate.
Watch Wall Street’s Group 1 Spring Classic victory below, courtesy of NZ Racing:
Written by Andrew Hawkins
