Improving stayer Matusalem has scored an emotional win for trainer Chris Waller, reviving memories of his late father John who was in the horse’s ownership.
Named after his father’s favourite rum, the $4.80 betting site favourite ground out a hard-fought victory over stablemate Monarch’s Brae ($11) to claim the Congratulations James McDonald Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill and land his first Saturday metropolitan success.
Waller revealed the horse’s colours of purple with lilac sleeves and a red cap had been his family’s silks for over 100 years and predated the training days of his great-grandfather Fred.
“Those colours are my family’s colours,” Waller said.
“Matusalem was my Dad’s horse, the last horse he raced. My Dad didn’t race many horses so I am very proud to see those colours win.
“My grandfather and his family, and before that as well, have raced horses for generations in New Zealand.
“But we have not raced many horses in these colours in Sydney, so it’s a proud moment for me.”
By Arrowfield stallion The Autumn Sun, Matusalem failed first-up on a heavy track at Rosehill and was sent to Melbourne in search of firmer footing.
He performed soundly in two starts there before returning to Sydney where he appreciated the improving soft 5 surface on Saturday.
The victory was the gelding’s third in 13 starts and Waller said he had a good opinion of the four-year-old who he hoped could continue his trajectory.
“We thought enough of him to send him down for Cup week in the spring,” he said.
“But he got a temperature and it ruined his preparation.
“The Autumn Sun’s keep improving with age and now he has that winning feeling and he has his confidence back, hopefully he can go on with it now.”
Earlier in the day, Classique Legend’s half-sister I Am Famous also notched an important Saturday metropolitan win for the Waller stable in the Congratulations Zac Lloyd Handicap (1400m).
A $2 million yearling, the four-year-old has been a slow maturer but knowing most of the family follow the same pattern, Waller and her owners have been content to be patient.
“That’s what has given us the confidence not to panic when she wasn’t showing form and just to sit tight because the family all get better with time,” Waller said.
“A Saturday win is a big deal.
“On the pedigree page, winning a Saturday race in Sydney can be better than winning a black-type race in some other jurisdictions.”
I Am Famous has now strung together a hat-trick of wins and Waller says he is likely to give her a break before looking for a stakes goal down the track.
