Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller has many Group One contenders at Randwick for the first day of The Championships but will keep an eye on the Toowoomba meeting where the stable will have feature race runners at the Queensland track for the first time.
Waller established a Gold Coast base in August and has since won 29 races in Queensland including 24 at metropolitan level.
He will have six runners at Saturday’s meeting headed by Exoteric in the Toowoomba Cup (2000m) and Zumbelina in the Weetwood handicap (1200m),
Stayers have proved the backbone of Waller’s satellite stable and Exoteric is typical of how they have flourished in Queensland.
Exoteric did his early racing in England where he won at Newmarket and was brought to Australia as a possible Group class stayer.
While not up to that standard yet Exoteric has been paying his way, especially in Queensland.
His four starts in the north have yielded two wins and a second including a last-start victory at the Gold Coast.
Waller’s Queensland manager Paul Shailer said Exoteric was a perfect horse for the Toowoomba Cup.
“He was starting to develop a habit of getting his head on the side in the straight and it cost him a win when he was second to Morendi at Doomben,” Shailer said.
“But we fiddled around with his gear and he went to the line to win well last start. He beat Xebec in that run who has since won so the form stacks up.”
Shailer said the key to the Toowoomba Cup could be the tempo of the race.
“I am told they usually go hard early in Toowoomba races and that should suit him,” Shailer said.
Waller’s apprentice Lee Magorrian retains the ride on Exoteric after winning on him at the Gold Coast.
“Lee knows the horse well and that is a big advantage,” Shailer said.
He said Zumbelina, who will be ridden by Michael Cahill, would be a chance in the Listed Weetwood if she could reproduce her best Sydney form.
