Waller weekly news 11 may 2017 The great momentum that the stable has enjoyed lately has continued this week with another 10 winners celebrated across three states. The Hermitage s Egg Tart provided the highlight with a well-timed effort in the $500,000 Gr.1 Scheweppes Oaks at Morphettville while on the Gold Coast Dawn Wall and Religify kicked off the Queensland Winter Carnival for the stable with a Listed win apiece. Egg Tart s win was the stable s 70th at the highest echelon while we also passed the 200 win mark for the season. With the success of the recent Hawkesbury standalone meeting and Wagga Gold Cup Day we have been reminded of the importance of these meetings for the country and provincial areas. The two day Scone carnival is due to kick off today, being a focal point for that area and a well-supported event with our stable well represented on both days. Also in Scone this week, the Hunter Valley Breeders Association honoured the success of horses bred in their rich thoroughbred breeding ground. For the second year running Winx was awarded the Champion Rachorse title while her dam Vegas Showgirl was awared the Champion Broodmare Title for the second time for John Camilleri s Fairway Thoroughbreds. Also recognised on the night was Star Thoroughbred s Gr.1 filly Foxplay who was awarded the Champion 3yo Filly title. Last weekend Chris enjoyed a quick-fire visit to the Kentucky Derby with more over the next week. We wish all of our connections the best of luck and a safe weekend! INSIDE THIS ISSUE WINNERs News getting to know leon davies & photos www.cwallerracing.com admin@cwallerracing.com +612 9760 5700
l CHRIS WALLER RACING - WINNERS THIS WEEK egg tart 3yo F Sebring - Mrs Windsor by King s Best A rare runnner for the stable in Adelaide resulted in a superb result with this daughter of Sebring scoring at the highest level in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks at Morphetville on Saturday over 2010m. Kerrin McEvoy was on board and he produced as good a ride as you will see as he bided his time towards the rear of the field before threading his way through the field. McEvoy and Egg Tart conjured up a tremendous finishing burst to get up in the shadows of the winning post for a thrilling victory in the colours of loyal stable clients from The Hermitage Syndicate. Provided that she pulls up well this talented filly will travel north for a tilt at the Queensland Oaks. dawn wall 3yo F Fastnet Rock - Mennetou by Entrepreneur This talented daughter of Fastnet Rock kicked off her Queensland campaign with an impressive win in the Listed Bracelet at the Gold Coast over 1800m under Hugh Bowman. Bowman always had this Queensland Oaks contender in a handy position just behind the speed and as they straightened Bowman gave her the office to go and win her race. Hitting the front inside the final furlong she sprinted away for an easy success and she will now be one of the leading fancies going forward to the Queensland Oaks. religify 6yo G Choisir - Sacred Witness by El Moxie This gutsy son of Choisir once again displayed his toughness and will to win when scoring at the Gold Coast on Saturday over 1400 in the Listed Prime Ministers Cup. Hugh Bowman was in the saddle and he had him in third position throughout before hitting the front inside the final furlong for an impressive fresh up victory. A $135,000 Star Thoroughbreds purchase at Magic Millions in 2012, he races in the colours of colours of Kathryn Wood s Titan Syndicate and has now amassed over $675,000 in winnings. Thanks to Bradley Photographers and darryl sherer for our weekly photos. www.bradleyphotos.com.au
l black on gold 3yo G Sebring - Fools Gold by Commands This talented sort appreciated the return to a good surface when winning at Rosehill on Saturday over 1800m. Brenton Avdulla was on board and he settled the son of Sebring at the rear of the field early on before coming with a winning run in the straight to defeat stablemate Octavian Augustus. They were followed home by fellow stable runners Oklahoma Girl and Cross Stitch to complete a stable first four. new universe 3yo G Darci Brahma - Shalaka by Lonhro This former Kiwi galloper made the perfect start to his career on this side of the Tasman when winning first up for the stable at Rosehill on Saturday over 1200m. Tommy Berry was in the saddle and with the early tempo of the race being strong he was able to settle his mount at the rear of the field. Once they straightened for home, Berry was able to bring the son of Darci Brahma with a sustained run out wide on the track and he quickened up smartly to put the race to bed. He had shown plenty of ability in New Zealand winning two of his three starts and was bought privately by stable bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster for loyal client Mr Lai. nothing box 4yo G Mossman - Why re You Waiting by More Than Ready This son of Mossman has been in a rich vein of form of late and he continued this when winning at Canterbury on Wednesday over 1900m. Hugh Bowman had the mount on this likeable sort and he was content to bide his time towards the rear of the field early on with a solid early tempo being set by the leader Be Like Dad who gave a great sight in front. On straightening the leader kicked but Bowman was still travelling strongly on Nothing Box and he produced him to challenge on the outside of the leader. Once asked to quicken the response wasnt immediate as the leader fought on strongly but once Bowman got serious he knuckled down strongly for a gutsy success. wayanka 3yo G Encosta de Lago - Drop Anchor by At Talaq Wayanka showed his liking for the Canterbury track when winning there over 1250M on Wednesday. In form Hugh Bowman was on board and he settled the gelded son of Encosta De Lago in midfield early before angling towards the outside of the leaders with his challenge in the straight. Wayanka hit the front close to home for a determined victory and this win makes it two wins from just six starts with both of these victories coming at the Canterbury circuit.
l broodwar 3yo F Starcraft - Woppitt by Danzero This Kepitis family homebred daughter of Starcraft from their former racemare Woppitt gained a well deserved maiden success when winning at Gosford on Thursday over 1200m. Jason Collett took the mount and he rode a patient race putting her to sleep early on towards the tail of the field before producing her with a perfectly timed challenge in the straight to hit the front close to home for a deserved success. vaucluse bay 3yo G Al Maher - Power of Love by Bahhare This son of Al Maher broke through for a maiden victory at Gosford on Thursday over 1600m. Jason Collett was in the saddle and he had a relatively easy time of things as the gelding was always travelling strongly and he sprinted away in the straight for an effortless win. He looks like a very promising middle distance type of horse for his large ownership group for the future. so splendid 3yo F Savabeel - Splendid by O Reilly This daughter of the leading sire Savabeel gained a valuable maiden victory for her owner/breeders the Chittick s of Waikato Stud where the son of Zabeel stands when she got her head in front at Newcastle on Saturday over 1850m. Chad Lever was in the saddle and with his mount stepping up sharply in distance from 1400M at her previous start he was content to bide his time and let her relax at the tail of the field early on before coming with a sustained challenge in the straight to score a narrow victory. It was one of great importance to her owners which is of great importance to her owners as she is now a winner in Australia which boosts her broodmare value. video preview Make Charlie and Chris s day and click on the image to the left to go to this week s video update with plenty of valuable insights into our runners this weekend!
l Egg Tart Gets Just Desserts In Oaks Top sire. Good family. Biggest sale. So why did Egg Tart make only $40,000 as a yearling? Late foal. Late November as a matter of fact, Egg Tart s breeder, Tony Brown explains. She was a nice enough type, slightly turned out, but time was against her. It s hard to stand out at a sale like Easter and she was out of her league, but we d just run out of options. Egg Tart didn t escape the eye of astute agent, Anton Koolman, however, who snapped up the Sebring filly for Hermitage Thoroughbreds and watched on as the rising 3YO captured the Group One Schweppes Oaks over 2000m at Morphettville on Saturday. It was Egg Tart s fifth victory from seven starts fifth win in a row actually and the Oaks takes her earnings to $467,750. Steadily moved up in distance (and class) by trainer Chris Waller, the Oaks was Egg Tart s first time over 2000m but rather than feeling the last furlong, she appeared to relish it and flew home to nail hot favourite, Kenedna, right on the line. The win provides the filly with a number of options including the SA Fillies Classic over 2500m in a fortnight or a trip north to Brisbane for the winter carnival. It will be left entirely up to Chris, said Oliver Koolman, speaking on behalf of Hermitage Thoroughbreds Chinese owner. He (Chris) has the infrastructure to successfully campaign his horses for all the major carnivals and whatever call he makes on Egg Tart will be fine by us. We re very happy about the win in the Oaks. For a cheap horse, she has certainly delivered. She appears to have a very exciting career ahead. Koolman manages Hermitage Thoroughbreds a boutique, 250 acre property at Camden in NSW that was originally purchased in 2010 and which currently hosts around 40 horses and 50 head of cattle. But what about the name, Egg Tart? She s named after a Chinese dessert the others we bought that year were all colts, so she ended up with Egg Tart, Koolman reveals. It might have been applicable at the time, but there s definitely nothing light and fluffy about the filly now! Despite the whole late foal/low price experience, Egg Tart s breeders are happy for the owners and, as a showcase for their Jorson Farm at Wondai in Queensland. She was a lovely foal, albeit late, and I m not surprised she s done so well, Brown adds. It was actually a pretty good year for us we sold eight and six of them have won. Our property foals down around a dozen each year and we also prep a few breeze up horses we ve got 100 acres just north west of Toowoomba and look after it all ourselves. It s very good when you end up with results like Saturday. The Browns purchased Mrs Windsor, who was carrying Egg Tart at the time, for $21,000 at the 2013 Inglis Broodmare Sale. Egg Tart is the second winner out of Mrs Windsor, a half sister to Group One winners Heart Ruler and Coronation Day and daughter of Metropolitan winner, Born To Be Queen, Brown points out. Unfortunately, Mrs Windsor died last year but it looks like she s got a good one in Egg Tart to carry on for the family. Egg Tart is the 29th stakes winner for Widden Stud based, Sebring, and his fourth Group One winner after Criterion and Dissident and, as of Sunday evening, Lucky Bubbles (Chairman s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong). - Aushorse.com.au
Scone a Jewel in crown for Waller After watching the Kentucky Derby from the Churchill Downs stand as a fan, Chris Waller will be back to business at Scone. Louisville and Scone may seem worlds apart but the two-day carnival in the NSW Hunter Valley is close to Waller's heart. The Scone crowd will be minuscule compared to the 145,000 at Churchill Downs who witnessed Always Dreaming win the Derby's 143rd edition but Sydney's premier trainer still drew comparisons with the NSW town. "Louisville has 800,000 people but it's realistically a country town. It's the breeding hub of America as is Scone (in Australia). "There's a lot of similarities between there and Scone. There's fantastic open spaces, a lot of history." Waller lines up Shillelagh, Tsaritsa and Elle Lou in the Dark Jewel Classic on Saturday. He rates Shillelagh as his leading hope on the strength of her last-start win in the Godolphin Crown at Hawkesbury. The five-year-old mare's win on April 29 enabled her to rebound back from a disappointing 17th in the Group One Coolmore Classic on an unhelpful soft track at Rosehill on March 11. "I'm very happy with Shillelagh, she bounced back on a better (good) track although she goes up in the weights a bit." Shillelagh ($9.50) renews her rivalry with the Ron Quinton-trained Daysee Doom ($4.60), who was runner up in the Godolphin Crown. Daysee Doom and luckless Hawkesbury runner Artistry are joint favourites for the Group Three race. While Shillelagh enters the Dark Jewel in winning form, fellow mares Tsaritsa and Elle Lou are $15 chances. - AAP race a zoustar colt with us! Striking colt by stable star Zoustar and from the stakes placed Fastnet Rock mare Teardrop Rock. Will run at 2yo but has the pedigree to continue to train on as a 3yo. Loose walking colt with great balance and imposing physical attributes. Purchase price $180,000 AUD at the Inglis Easter Sale. This colt and others are available to race with the stable having been selected by Guy Mulcaster, Chris and Dr Tim Roberts. CONTACT LIAM OR SOPHIE FOR MORE INFO AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES: LIAM: E. liam@cwallerracing.com P. 0434379706 SOPHIE: E. sophie@cwallerracing.com P. +61409843051
Waller taking star to the States? It seems inevitable that Chris Waller will one day take a horse to compete in America. And with a trip to the Kentucky Derby last weekend having whet the appetite, it might be sooner than you think. Especially knowing that he s actually thought about it, with one of his stable stars in particular. I ve given thought to a horse like Omei Sword, he said. She had a bleed (in the Coolmore Classic)... and I thought about her. Dual bleeders are banned for life in Australia but not in the States. Right now though it s important to stress that for Waller, it is just a thought, and one that s likely gained more weight thanks to a memorable trip to Louisville. Aussie stars have a history of heading across the pacific with Starcraft seventh in the Breeders Cup in 2005, and Rough Habit eighth in the Hollywood Gold Cup of 1993, just two examples. Whether it s he or not, Waller believes we ll gradually see more Australian trainers take their A-graders to America. I think it ll only be a matter of time before a trainer does globalise him or herself, and have a global team, he said. With world racing being such a global sport now, it s only a matter of time. And he anticipates the opportunities will continue to grow; a global challenge something he d like to see, with several initiatives in England and Hong Kong continuing to grow in popularity. The Shergar Cup is one, with Michelle Payne and Kerrin McEvoy to compete at Ascot in August, and the Hong Kong jockey s challenge is another, which was won by Hugh Bowman in December. There s an aspect there where racing could say, let s have a global challenge, he said. It s not as easy as getting (a horse) on a plane, performing at your best, turning round in four days and coming back to Randwick or Flemington the next week. (But) when you re a trainer going to Ascot or Hong Kong, you do feel you re representing your country, whether you re an Australian or New Zealander. (And) I think the racing viewers and punters take a lot of pride in Australian horses (racing overseas). - G1x.com.au
getting to know leon davies This week Leon Davies took some time out to complete a staff profile. A new addition to the team as a travelling foreman, he has already proved a lucky charm when partneringegg Tart on their Group One raid to South Australia on Saturday took some time out to complete a staff profile. Originally from the small country town of Mungindi I finished school and went on to work for Gai Waterhouse for about 18 months and travelled with her Spring Carnival horses. I then moved to the Gold Coast and worked for the likes of Alan Bailey, Bryan Guy and Gillian Heinrich before I set up my own breaking and pre-training farm just out of the Gold Coast. In 2008 I moved to Tamworth to manage Stratheden Stud for two seasons and then opened my own racing stable there where I won close to 100 races with a very small team before also branching out with a successful satellite stable on the Gold Coast however I decided to walk away from it to join the best team in CWR. Favourite quote? Just live. Favourite horse? Hursley. Role model? Chris Waller. Favourite jockey? Blake Shinn. Favourite part of the job? Constantly learning. Best horse ever seen? Winx. Favourite food? A good Parmi. If you could invite two people for dinner, who would you invite? Peter Snowden and Chris Waller. If you weren t in racing, what would you have done? I d have been a Police officer. Event in the world that you would most like to attend? Royal Ascot. What would you do with your last $5? Most likely give to a homeless guy on the street Tip for the weekend? Great Glen. Leon and Crooked Blaze.
charlie completes an ironman Stable Racing Manager Charlie Duckworth reports back on completing his first Iron Man event as part of a fundraising effort for The Hope Foundation. Thank goodness it is over! After months of training and preparation for the Iron Man 70.3 at Port Macquarie last Sunday I can finally relax and enjoy feeling my legs again. Myself and the team who I was doing it with travelled up there on Friday afternoon with Anne Marie who works for The Hope Foundation and lives in India working directly with the children who we have been raising money for. We spent Saturday signing in and dropping off our bikes and checking that we had everything we could possibly need during the event on Sunday. On Saturday night I was far too excited and spent my time irritating the team getting changed into my wetsuit and practicing the transition from swim to bike to run. We all hit the hay after some serious carb loading ready for our 4:15am start. The alarm bell soon came around with some of us more used to the early starts than others and we all had our individual potions made up to keep hydrated throughout the event. 6:20 came round pretty quick and I found myself at the start line wondering why on earth I said yes to doing such an event. We were released in waves and the swim went without any troubles and I was quickly out of the water and onto my bike knowing full well that I had two mates in front of me as they were much stronger swimmers. So I put everything I had into the bike to catch them and I managed to knock out the 90km in 2 hours 50 minutes beating the others by a full 10 minutes. However it was almost certainly my downfall as I got off the bike and didn't have much petrol left for the 21km run and the only thing that made me keep running was thinking about all the incredibly generous donations that we received for the very worthy cause. I managed to get the run done and finish up with a total time of 5 hours 29 minutes which was just under my ultimate goal of 5 and a half hours. The support team cheering me over the line certainly helped including a couple of owners which was incredibly kind. My team mates also beat their expected goals and we were all over the moon with our efforts, Annoyingly I may have already been roped into doing another one just to try and beat my time. It was a truly awesome experience and was great to really put me to the test both mentally and physically throughout the gruelling experience. To top it all off, I managed to stuff up booking my flight home and had to drive down on Sunday night for work on Monday morning which was less than ideal for my legs that were beginning to seize! A big thank you to everyone who has donated to this very worthy cause. At this stage we have raised almost 23,000 from112 donations. 100% of all money raised goes directly to The Hope Foundation. The athletes funded ALL costs surrounding the event themselves and every penny raised will go to help the children of Kolkata. Click here to donate.
upcoming STABLE RUNNERS Click here to go to the website for more information on our stable runners.
Black on Gold celebrations. Wayanka celebrations. Thanks to Bradley Photographers and darryl sherer for our weekly photos. www.bradleyphotos.com.au
Nothing Box celebrations. Vaucluse Bay celebrations. Thanks to Bradley Photographers and darryl sherer for our weekly photos. www.bradleyphotos.com.au
Broodwar, Jodie and Danielle. Sinead and So Splendid.
Dawn Wall. Tash and Sizzling Bullet. Enjoying the Wagga hospitality!
Lee and Velocita. Kerry and Mutarakem. Chris and Labdien with Chad and Sweet Scandal
Our Beatnik supporters taking their role very seriously with matching ties! Ben on Bantry.