Champion trainer Chris Waller has pulled the best out of former West Australian star CRIMINAL CODE (Maschino-Pale) with the former Derby placegetter getting the chocolates at Warwick Farm.
To be fair he had been knocking on the door of late but today was his day over 1600m.
And Waller was happy.
“He’s taken a while to put it all together and he’s had some bad luck,” noted the trainer.
“Once he steps up a bit further you’ll see an even better horse. At the moment probably 2000m is a sweet spot for him plus he has more improvement because he still has to grow into his frame.”
He lumped 60.5kg today to run down the leader and defy the challenge of track specialist Kaapfever and Invasion Day who pulled himself out of the race in the early stages.
So his effort under 61kg was courageous.
But the spoils and accolades go to Criminal Code who in his previous life had run 3rd in the G2 WATC Derby over 2400m.
That followed a stakes placing over 2200m also in Perth.
Today was his 10th start and 2nd win, his first one coming on debut this time last year at Ascot.
“When he jumped so well I put him in the race and he really fought hard, “ said his rider tommy Berry.
“He should gain a lot of confidence over these summer months now that he has won. He should come back a really nice horse next campaign,” Berry added.
The win took his career earnings to $98,400.
