With spring beckoning, premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller is starting to bring the mega-stable’s stars back to the races.
Silverball
The Canterbury Hurlstone RSL Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday looms as an intriguing mixture of spring carnival hopes setting out and fit horses who have raced consistently through winter.
Of the Waller runners, the trainer said the race shaped as Rugged Cross’s final start for stable before he headed to a tried horses sale next week.
“We’ve got a lot of young horses coming through so we just need to make way for those ones and a horse like Rugged Cross will still be a good buy for someone. He’s just harder to place for me,” Waller said.
The seven-year-old is at the end of a preparation which includes black-type success in the Listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill in July.
Former Hong Kong galloper Silverball will kick off his preparation in the race with a view to tackling the Group One Metropolitan in October.
“I think he’s a genuine lightweight chance in a race like the Metropolitan,” Waller said.
“He was very impressive in his last run before his spell over 2000 metres. On that I thought the Metropolitan would be his type of race.”
Last year’s Thousand Guineas winner Amicus has been scratched and with a view to next week’s Toy Show Quality.
The mare ran third behind stablemate Hawkspur in an 809m-barrier trial at Warwick Farm in preparation.
“She’s a half-length away from being a superstar,” Waller said.
“She’s obviously a Group One winner and her run in the Coolmore was as good as any.”
He said Amicus would be carefully placed through the spring, in a hope of eliciting the extra length needed to elevate her class.
Apprentice Samantha Clenton will use her three-kilogram aboard stayer Junoob.
“He needs a few runs needs to get to 2000 metres before he fires up,” Waller said.
“We’re going to have quite a few in the Warwick Stakes next week and we didn’t want them all running together.”
Junoob was disqualified from his win in last year’s Group One Metropolitan after a positive test to Lasix, inadvertently given on race day.
Gai Waterhouse prepares Countryman for the race while imported Godolphin gelding Magic Hurricane will have his first start in Australia on good ground since coming from England.
