Waller Weekly News - Chris Waller Racing

Waller Weekly News                                                 25 January 2019

It’s been a phenomenal week for the team with Winx recognised as Longines’ co-World’s Best
Racehorse at a glittering affair in London. Accession continues his rise as one of the country’s most
favoured Golden Slipper hopes while having our first runner in Dubai with Comin’ Through last
night, where he produced a pleasing effort for seventh against stiff international competition.
The winner’s room at Rosehill on Saturday got a good working out with two big syndicates on
course to celebrate Accession and Sweet Scandal’s wins while So You Win rounded off a rewarding
day for the team. Five other metro winners in Sydney made for a pleasing eight win week.
Stable bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster and Dr. Tim Roberts have been flat out at Karaka this week.
They’ve been whittling down a short-list for Chris to inspect and by the time he returns to Sydney,
he will have racked up some impressive air miles in the space of seven days having travelled to
London, then onto Dubai for Comin’ Through’s race on Thursday, back to Sydney for trackwork on
Saturday and then onto New Zealand. A big thanks to our dedicated and talented team of staff who
continue to keep everything ticking along brilliantly.
          We wish all of our connections the best of luck and a safe weekend!

 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
 •    Winners
 •    News & photos

     www.cwallerracing.com | admin@cwallerracing.com | +612 9760 5700

Chris Waller Racing - Winners This Week

Accession
2yo C Brazen Beau - Ready As Elle by
More Than Ready
This talented son of Brazen Beau stamped
himself as a Golden Slipper candidate when
scoring in impressive fashion at Rosehill on
Saturday over 1100m.
James McDonald was in the saddle and he
relaxed Accession beautifully early on just
behind the leaders.
Once McDonald found clear air in the
straight Accession let down with a brilliant
turn of foot to score an effortless success -
could he join Sebring as a Slipper winner in
the Star Thoroughbreds colours in a couple
of months?

Sweet Scandal
4yo M Sepoy - Bacchanal Woman by
Encosta De Lago
This talented daughter of Sepoy made it
consecutive Saturday city wins with a smart
performance at Rosehill on Saturday over
1350m.
In form apprentice Robbie Dolan was in the
saddle and he was positive from the outset,
sending her straight to the front when the
barriers opened.
Sweet Scandal travelled strongly at the head
of affairs before kicking on with a vengeance
when challenged, to win in good style.

So You Win
4yo G So You Think - Rhode Island Red
by Tale Of The Cat
This talented son of So You Think returned to
the winner’s circle at Rosehill on Saturday.
With Brenton Avdulla in charge and his ears
pricked, So You Win maintained a good
position throughout the 2000m trip, not far
from the speed. ‘
He travelled kindly and when Avdulla produced him in the closing stages he stayed on strongly for an easy
success.
This was a third career win for this promising stayer and on the evidence of this success, he looks destined to
be winning plenty more races.

                   Thanks to Bradley Photographers, Trackside Photography,
                           and Darryl Sherer for our weekly photos.

Sure Knee
3yo F Snitzel - Shawnee Girl by Encosta
De Lago
This Ingham family homebred daughter of
Snitzel recorded her second career win when
scoring at Canterbury on Friday over 1550m.
Glyn Schofield took the mount and he
dropped her out towards the tail of the field
early.
The duo then weaved their way into the clear
in the straight before Sure Knee knuckled
down in determined style to narrowly defeat
stablemate Bring The Magic who was game
in second place.

Nobu
3yo G Reliable Man - Royal Prize by
Prized
This son of Reliable Man was another New
Zealand bred to win for the stable this week
when relishing the step up to 1900m at
Canterbury on Friday evening.
Tommy Berry was on board and he settled
Nobu prominent in second position early.
As they turned into the straight Berry asked
Nobu for maximum effort and he responded
well, wearing down the leader for a solid
staying success.

Ivy’s Court
5yo M Choisir - Courtney by Montjeu
This daughter of Choisir has been racing in
good form and confirmed her liking for the
Canterbury circuit when winning there on
Wednesday over 1900m.
James McDonald took the mount and had
Ivy’s Court in a prominent third position
throughout before moving up to challenge as
they turned into the straight.
The gutsy older mare showed real grit to
battle on strongly for her fifth career victory
from 18 starts.

                    Thanks to Bradley Photographers, Trackside Photography,
                            and Darryl Sherer for our weekly photos.

Kolding
3yo C Ocean Park - Magic Star by
Danzero
Having shown promise last preparation
this New Zealand bred son of Ocean Park
showed the benefit of a spell when winning
his maiden fresh up at Canterbury on
Wednesday over 1200m.
Hugh Bowman was in the saddle and he
settled Kolding in midfield early where he
travelled strongly. As they turned into the
straight Bowman angled him into the clear
and once balanced up he let down strongly
to get on top close to home.

Matowi
3yo G Ocean Park - Warm Whispers by
Stravinsky
Matowi was another New Zealand bred
son of Ocean Park to win for the stable at
Canterbury on Wednesday scoring over
1550m.
Hugh Bowman took the mount and similar
to Kolding earlier in the day, he relaxed his
mount in midfield early before producing him
in the straight with a well-timed challenge to
score in impressive fashion.

Ultimate accolade: Winx named
                   best horse in the world
The final accolade, one which had eluded her until now, was given to Winx in London on
Wednesday when she was named as the equal World’s Best Racehorse.
Australia’s wondermare shares the title with English star Cracksman for 2018, on a rating of 130.
Winx ran her 130 rating in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in April. And to top things
off, the Queen Elizabeth was named the second best race in the world behind only the Arc De
Triomphe.
The Queen Elizabeth, which was made the jewel in the crown of The Championships when it was
created six years ago, was one of five Sydney races in the top-20 races in the world. The TJ Smith,
which ranked 16th, was the only one of those not won by Winx.
Winx has been unbeaten for more than three years, winning 29 consecutive races, 22 of them at
group 1 level. Her trainer, Chris Waller, believes she has been at the top of racing for the past three
years.
“I’m sure there might have been a horse in the world that over the past three years could have
beaten her on a given day. That same horse wouldn’t have beaten her consistently over those three
years,” Waller said.
“That is what everyone appreciates about Winx – she has been here so long and she is still going

just as good as ever.”
Winx finally won the world's best
title after two years in which she
had to play second fiddle to US
dirt-track hero Arrogate.
Her crowning achievement on
the track came when she won an
unprecedented fourth Cox Plate
last October. But this off-the-
track win is a vindication of her
immense talent.
Waller remains in awe of Winx’s
ability to continually keep her elite
level from three until now as a
seven-year-old.
She won seven races, all at group
1 level, in 2018 and six of those     Debbie Kepitis, Patty and Peter Tighe. Photos: Ray Thomas.
races were in the top 25 races in
the world, including the Cox Plate, the George Ryder Stakes and the Colgate Optic White Stakes,
which were all in the top 10.
“Her level is always extremely high,” Waller said. “It is her first-up run. It is her last run of a
preparation. It is on a good track. It is on a wet track. It is over a short distance. It is over a long
distance.

“She overcomes every obstacle you put in front of her and she beats everything you put in front of
her. Maybe, if there was the world’s best horse race on a certain day, it might have broken her heart.
But she has beaten everything that has come to race her and she has just beaten them with ease.
That is why she has the respect she has around the world and that is why she deserves the title of
the world’s best.”
The only challenge Winx didn’t meet was to travel the world, but Waller is content with his decision
to keep her in Australia.
“We have travelled her to Melbourne four times and Brisbane once and all of these are 10-hour
trips,” he said. “If you train a horse in England, you can be in all other countries except New Zealand
and Australia in a shorter time space but we simply don’t have the luxury of doing that.
“Fortunately, everyone is aware of Australian racing, how strong our industry is and the opportunity
to race for great prizemoney in Australia.”
Winx has started her final preparation, during which she will farewell Sydney racing, with her first
run schedule for the Apollo Stakes at Randwick on February 16.
“It is pretty special as it was the first year when she was crowned world’s best horse on turf and the
best mare of the year, and last year when she got the same two awards," Waller said.
"She wins the big one this year – obviously we have to share it with Cracksman.
"The thing I will always take out of Winx is her longevity. I’m not taking any credit for her talent at
all. She is just an exceptional athletic. Obviously, I have a good team that has looked after her very
well, but she is just an amazing horse." - Chris Roots, Sydney Morning Herald.

Chris Waller so proud of wonder mare Winx
Connections were never
tempted enough to go
globetrotting Chris Waller
has explained why the draw
of Royal Ascot – or other
big meetings right across
the world – was never quite
enough to attract Winx from
her native Australia.
The best time to have
considered Britain’s biggest
Flat racing festival was two
years ago – but equally
America, Dubai and Hong
Kong would have loved to
have had the wonder mare
grace any of their tracks.
“The right thing would have been to take her over as a five-year-old, but she is now seven almost
eight,” said Waller.
“The expectation from her fanbase in Australia is to have her finish her racing in Australia. If she
came racing over here she would have to go back through a change of season. But then why she
should she come to England, why not the USA or Dubai, who deserves to have her?
“Meydan or Hong Kong would have been more realistic for her in terms of training and if we were
driven by prize-money. If it was prestige we were after it would have been Royal Ascot or for a
groundbreaking race it would have been America.”
Waller was speaking after Winx had been named the joint-best horse anywhere on the planet,
together with the John Gosden-trained Cracksman, in the 2018 Longines World’s Best Racehorses
at a ceremony in London.
She was last seen claiming a historic fourth victory in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October –
her 29th successive win and her 33rd from 39 career starts overall.
Waller believes this latest accolade is something special, even for a horse that has won everything
put in front of her.
“This is as good as it gets (winning horse of the year). It is a very rewarding achievement,” he said.
“It was very special the fourth Cox Plate, but Winx has been a special horse every time she goes to
the races. There is an expectation back home she should win races.”
Though her career will inevitably draw to a close, no date has been set.
“Her preparation has gone the same as last year. She was still growing into her six-year-old career,
which is quite remarkable for a horse her age,” said Waller.
“We were looking for signs of slowing down, but she is a sound horse and her legs are great.
“We’ve never set a final date and, as we have done over past 12 months, we will take it race by race.
“It is all about the next race (February 16), then after that we will assess whether we will go on.
There is a four-race programme in Sydney if we want to take it.” - Racingandsports.com.au

Waller looks to Slipper with
                    Rosehill winner Accession
Chris Waller has had just a handful of runners in the Golden Slipper and Accession has staked his
claim as perhaps his best contender yet.
A colt by the Waller-trained Brazen Beau, Accession was having his third start in yesterday’s
appropriately-named Countdown To The Golden Slipper (1100m) t Rosehill. After being beaten on
debut by Godolphin filly Athiri, Accession had won the Inglis Nursery in December.
That race is part of the sales company-sponsored series which includes the A$2 million Inglis
Millennium in two weeks’ time, for which Accession is now the $4.50 equal favourite with Catch
Me.
He also firmed from $51 to $15 for the Golden Slipper in March with his performance to come from
back in the field, extending his margin with each stride to be four and three-quarter lengths ahead
of Avon River on the line.
“He is a definite Golden Slipper horse,” Waller said. “This was his third run and he is improving all
the time.
“Two-year-olds tell you where they want to go and if they are up to a tough campaign. He goes to
the Inglis Millennium next.”
Accession was Waller’s first winner by Brazen Beau, who he trained to two Group One wins in his
homeland and a close second in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Despite his previous win, Accession eased from $2.70 to start $3.20 as punters went for the Ciaron
Maher and David Eustace-trained Igniting, who was backed from $2.70 to $2. 60.
Igniting ran fourth after leading early with Giselle Anne ($19) in third after taking the field into the
straight. - AAP

Click on the image below to watch Longines’ tribute that was played at their
       World’s Best Racehorse awards ceremony in London this week.

      Click on the image below to watch Comin’ Through’s run in the
                   Gr.2 Al Fahidi Fort in Dubai overnight.

Click on the image below to watch the Australian Turf Club’s update on track
      conditions at Royal Randwick ahead of Saturday’s meeting there.

Pair of promising three-year-olds
                  showcase Ocean Park
Sydney’s most recognisable trainer-jockey combination struck with a pair of promising Ocean Park
three-year-olds at Canterbury on Wednesday.
On an unusually blustery day in Sydney’s inner-west, Chris Waller and Hugh Bowman were at their
typical best, providing two of the first three winners in the shape of Kolding and Matowi.
Kolding ($2.20 fav) made the most of an economical Bowman ride to shed his maiden in the Events
By ATC Handicap (1200m).
The three-year-old colt prevailed in a three-way finish ahead of Front Sight ($9) for Kris Lees and
King’s Order ($12) from the Gerald Ryan stable.
Less than an hour and half later, Matowi ($3.30) relished a quick back-up from last Saturday to
comfortably win the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1550m), defeating Godolphin’s Cossetot ($1.85
fav) and Navigator ($7) for Peter and Paul Snowden.
“They’re quite similar horses actually,” stable foreman Charlie Duckworth said.
“Both are still learning how to switch off and relax but are showing plenty of promise.
“Being by Ocean Park you would expect them to get over a bit further.
“The sire is going super which is great because we have plenty in the stable.”
The winning double, which follows the impressive win of Oceanex at Flemington last Saturday, is a
timely endorsement for Waikato Stud’s Ocean Park, who will be represented by 54 yearlings at the
upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Sale.
The Cox Plate-winning son of Thorn Park has racked up 41 winners in the first half of the 2018-19
season, only one less than his entire tally from last season. - Racenet.com.au

                                                                         Kolding and Matowi’s sire
                                                                  Ocean Park. Photo: Waikato Stud.

The All-Star Mile, set to be run on 16 March is an exciting new racing concept in Victorian
thoroughbred racing where votes from fans will determine the horses that are selected to compete
in a race with prizemoney of $5,000,000.

Get behind your favourite CWR horse and vote for them to get a start in the world’s richest mile
race while putting yourself in the running to win $250,000!

                                                           VOTING CLOSES
                                                            18 FEBRUARY

Getting to know Michelle Walsh
Michelle Walsh is one of our Rosehill-based riders and took time out this week to tell us a bit about
herself.
“I’m from Ireland and I started riding ponies when I was five. I did some Hunting and Show jumping
growing up and then went and did a 10 month course called RACE.”
They teach you everything you need to know about working in a racing yard and five years on I’m
still loving it.”
Nickname? Shell/Shelly.			                Best Quote? “You live and learn.”
Favourite Part of the job? Riding and also the yearling process.      Favourite Horse? Enable.
Best Horse ever seen? Sprinter Sacre.     Role Model? My parents.
Favourite Food? Chinese.			               Favourite Jockey? Pat Smullen.
If you weren’t in racing, what would you have done? Nursing.
If you could invite two people for dinner, who would you invite? Actors Jack Ryan and Cillian
Murphy.
Event in the world that you would most like to attend? Melbourne Cup Day.
What would you do with your last $5? I would probably buy food..
Tip for the weekend? Bring the Magic.

Accession celebrations.

Sweet Scandal celebrations.

So You Win celebrations.

                           Matowi celebrations.

Mazaz and celebrations.
Sure Knee Meredith.

                                                                 Candice and Nobu.

              Thanks to Bradley Photographers, Trackside Photography,
                      and Darryl Sherer for our weekly photos.

Sam and Reposition.

JS and Kolding.

Steph and Ivy’s Court.

Comin’ Through in Dubai.

Kat on the Savabeel x Chilled Out, Lizzie
on Shuhood and Anita on Gododdin.

Kat on Sayl and Lizzie on Mr Reckless.

Remuera and Lizzie.

                      Ancient Spirit strikes a pose for the Racing.com
                      team’s promotion of the All Star Mile.