Chris Waller maintains Pressday’s disastrous start to his autumn campaign can turn to triumph in Saturday’s Group One Randwick Guineas despite the colt having to jump from the outside barrier.
Waller admits nothing has gone right in two runs this preparation for the Group One winner, but says he is clinging to more than just hope the three-year-old can turn his fortunes around at Warwick Farm.
“I’m certainly not just hoping, I think he’s certainly good enough to do it and I’m sure he can,” Waller said.
Pressday is unbeaten in two attempts at 1600m with victories in the Group One TJ Smith Stakes in Queensland last season and the Group Two Sandown Guineas in the spring.
While Pressday was only second-up into the Sandown Guineas – he will be third-up on Saturday – there are some similarities between his lead-up to the Sandown Guineas and this week’s Randwick Guineas.
Pressday was aimed at the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in the spring first-up but reared as the gates opened and finished among the tailenders.
A hastily-arranged barrier trial at Caulfield ensued for Pressday before he came out and won the Sandown Guineas at his next start.
Second-up in the Hobartville Stakes on February 26, Pressday again jumped slowly to trail the field before finishing almost five lengths behind the winner Ilovethiscity in 10th position.
The colt has since won a barrier trial to stewards’ satisfaction at Randwick last Friday, and Waller is hoping that has instilled a bit more confidence in the son of Domesday.
“His trial was good last week, we used it to help get his confidence levels up and teach him to win, if there is such a thing,” the trainer said.
“Everything has gone well since his last run and we’re hoping he will bounce back.”
Dominant Hobartville Stakes winner Ilovethiscity is the $2.40 Guineas favourite ahead of Darley duo Skilled and Retrieve with Pressday rated a $9 chance with Jim Cassidy in the saddle.
The race has lost the David Payne-trained Masquerader who was scratched after he had to be treated for colic on Friday morning.
Pressday will start from the widest barrier which was disappointing at first for Waller, but he is looking on the bright side.
“It was disappointing to see the barrier draw, 11 of 11, but I would probably sooner be in that barrier than seven or eight because we know he can do a few things wrong which we’ve tried to work over and get on top of,” he said.
“At least from that barrier if he is tardy away we can just drop back and make our run when we need to make our run, rather than being back and being dictated to if we had an inside draw. I can see a few positives there and he’s certainly trained on well.”
Waller had a day to remember at Warwick Farm last Saturday winning two feature races including the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) with Danleigh.
The Rosehill trainer is yet to win a Randwick Guineas but Triple Honour came within a nose of beating superstar Weekend Hussler in 2008.
AAP TURF
