Premier trainer Chris Waller has nominated a staggering nine horses for Saturday’s Group 2-$175,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) – but rival Joe Pride is confident he can win the feature out west with his sole runner, Rain Affair.
The Warwick Stakes is sure to look like the `Waller Stakes’ when Shoot Out, Metal Bender, Hawkspur, Kelinni, Sacred Falls, Foreteller, Royal Descent,
Pride, however, said Rain Affair had not put a foot wrong since his first-up victory in the Missile Stakes last Saturday week, and had deliberately brought his speedster back into work early with the Warwick Stakes in mind.
“I couldn’t be happier with Rain Affair, he’s in good order and come through his first run really well,” Pride said. “The reason I brought him back after Brisbane and only gave him a month off was because I knew I’d have a head-start on everybody else in the Warwick Stakes.
“This race historically is where a lot of good horses start their preparations. I’m assuming all these horses there on Saturday will be aiming at something further down the track. For my bloke, Saturday and his next couple of races are all grand finals.”
Rain Affair won the Missile Stakes by a widening five lengths when sent out the $1.30 favourite with Nash Rawiller on board. Rawiller will stick with Rain Affair on Saturday.
Waller said the pick of his nine nominees was Shoot Out, who has won four times when resuming, loves the 1400m trip and has Hugh Bowman to ride.
“I’ll nominate Metal Bender and Kelinni for the Show County as well, just because Metal Bender has been off the scene for a long time, and Kelinni can have a really good blow-out over 1200m, then step up to the mile a fortnight later,” Waller said.
“I’ll nominate Royal Descent for the Toy Show Quality, but if she was to get something like 60kg, I’d run in the Warwick Stakes. Beaten Up is only ’50/50′ and could resume in the Memsie Stakes (in Melbourne), while Sacred Falls could wait another two weeks to resume in the Tramway. His main targets are the George Main and Epsom, so there’s no real rush to have him ready.”
Waller said it was not ideal to start so many of his flyers in the one race, and would make a conscious decision to keep his runners apart second-up and beyond.
“The races we’re aiming at with these horses include the Epsom, Metropolitan, Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, and the Cox Plate. If they can all win a race by the end of their preparation we’ll be happy,”Waller said.
Gai Waterhouse will start Melbourne Cup-bound Glencadom Gold, while Guy Walter will have Toydini and Streama both resume, with Peter Robl and Glen Boss to ride respectively.
Moriarty and Beaten Up are all entered today for the Warwick Farm feature.
Shoot Out, Hawkspur, Moriarty and Foreteller are the only certainties to take the starting blocks.
– Racing NSW (Daily Telegraph)
