Australia’s No 1 feature-race trainer/jockey combination, Chris Waller and James Mcdonald, teamed up to score another Wyong Cup success on Friday.
Saltcoats carried McDonald to his fourth win in the $250,000 Listed event, all of which have come for Waller, who has now won the race nine times.
It was a bounce-back win for the son of Ardrossan, who effortlessly won the Premier’s Cup Prelude (2000m) at Randwick on August 13 before flopping as a $1.70 favourite in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2000m) at his final start before Friday’s race.
The five-year-old, who started $1.90, enjoyed a cosy run on the fence behind the speed and emerged late to wear down Salt Lake City ($15) and score by a long head with Glory Daze ($5.50) a similar margin back third.
“He did everything perfectly, he popped away nicely, relaxed like a dream and that enabled him to get the trip,” McDonald said.
“That (2100m) is probably as far as he wants but he did a good job today.”
The victory was the fifth from 18 starts for Saltcoats, who has now won $586,290 in stakes.
The Wyong Cup was one of two Black Type feature at Wyong, which also hosted the $250,000 Group 3 Mona Lisa Stakes.
McDonald had to settle for third aboard Snow In May in that race, which saw the Michael Freedman-trained, Tommy Berry-ridden Just Feelin’ Lucky ($4.40 fav) score a narrow over $41 outsider Overriding.
