The Chris Waller import Great House has put the writing on the wall for a potential Cups tilt.
He was running around in a Limerick maiden less than a year ago, but the Chris Waller -trained Great House ($3.80F) has seemingly much bigger fish to fry when the spring carnival rolls around.
The Galileo gelding won The Agency Real Estate Handicap over 1500 metres at Rosehill by a short half-head in a stirring finish over stablemate Wairere Falls ($7.50) with another Waller runner Zing ($4.40) completing the trifecta a further short half-head away in third.
The four-year-old has done a great job since arriving from the northern hemisphere with two wins and two placings from just five outings, and stable representative Charlie Duckworth believes there is more in store for the progressive galloper.
“He’s got that age and maturity on his side despite being lightly raced, which I think is obviously a massive advantage,” Duckworth said.
“It’s a fantastic start to the preparation as we build up over a little bit further where we’re obviously going to see him improve.
“To get the win today sets him up for a fantastic campaign.”
The victory saw Duckworth looking at a potential Cups campaign in the spring if Great House can continue to improve at the rate he is currently progressing.
“I’d imagine at 2400 metres you’d hope he’s going to be competing at the top level,” Duckworth said.
“Whether he’s a Melbourne Cup horse or not I’m not quite sure. Certainly a Metropolitan or a Caulfield Cup if he was to continue to rise as quickly as he is now.”
The win brought up jockey Tommy Berry’s 99th of the season with him closing the gap on premiership leader James McDonald who is sitting on 109 victories.
Duckworth was full of praise for Berry, who he believes is getting his just desserts for the effort he puts in.
“He’s (Berry) near enough faultless for us,” Duckworth said.
“He comes in every Saturday, it doesn’t matter if there is Canterbury on a Friday night.
“You don’t see James (McDonald) going to the Thursday meetings at the provincials but Tommy is there week in, week out.
“He likes to do it because it keeps him fine-tuned and mind on the game.”
