French Emotion will kickoff her Autumn campaign on Saturday
In the space of less than 10 years, Chris Waller has been able to win more than half of the 27 Group One titles on offer in Sydney with the Coolmore Classic one of the elusive minority.
Sydney’s premier trainer’s record of wins in 14 elite-level races in his base city is enhanced by the fact he rarely has runners in the two-year-old triple crown of the Golden Slipper, ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes.
While he has saddled up nine runners in past Coolmores, he shapes as having a strong hand for this year’s race for fillies and mares over 1500m at Rosehill on March 11.
Waller will kick off two of his hopes’ Coolmore campaigns in the Group Two Breeders’ Classic (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, with French Emotion and Tsaritsa both first-up in the race.
Omei Sword has been accepted for the Group Three Eskimo Prince Stakes on the program as she begins a campaign to try to become the first three-year-old filly since Typhoon Tracy in 2009 to win a Coolmore.
French Emotion returned in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm on January 23 finishing second in between Group One-placed stablemate Sezanne and Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet.
She proved last spring she wasn’t out of place in Group One company after finishing second in the Myer Classic having notched a Group Two victory two starts earlier.
The Myer was the culmination of a year of progression for French Emotion who went from multiple midweek winner to Group horse by the time she had turned five.
Under set weights and penalties conditions in the Breeders’ French Emotion is the equal second top-rated horse and gives up a maximum of two kilograms to the rest of the field.
“At the handicaps she should be a pretty good chance in a race like that at her home track,” Waller said.
Tsaritsa won the Group Two Queensland Guineas before her spring ended prematurely after an unplaced run in the Group Three Bill Ritchie Stakes at Randwick on September 17.
“She was a Group Two winner in the winter and then was a little bit disappointing in the spring so we backed off her,” Waller said.
“She’ll head towards the Coolmore as her third-up run with the Guy Walter in between.”
