Premiership winning trainer Chris Waller is banking on a first three finish for his in-form stayer Who Shot Thebarman in the Group 1 $3m Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Who Shot Thebarman is one of four Chris Waller runners in the Caulfield Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Former New Zealand trained Who Shot Thebarman has won his last two starts at Flemington and snuck into the final field for the Caulfield Cup curtesy of a 1.5kg penalty for winning the Group 3 $150,000 The Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington on October 4.
Waller will saddle up four runners in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup, Hawkspur, Junoob, Moriarty and Who Shot Thebarman who he hopes will progress to the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4.
“If he’s to win a Melbourne Cup, he’ll be wanting to run in the first three on Saturday, or be going close,’’ Waller told The Daily Telegraph.
Who Shot Thebarman joined the Waller stable after running ninth in the Group 1 $1m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 19, the second day of ‘The Championships’, while under the care of Kiwi trainer Mark Oulaghan.
Waller gave the Yamanin Vital gelding two runs in Sydney but he ran well below his New Zealand form that saw him win the Group 2 NZ$100,000 Go Racing Syndications Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie on February 15 and the Group 1 NZ$500,000 Barefoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on March 5.
The top Sydney trainer then switched tacts and sent him to Melbourne where he returned to winning form and goes into Saturday’s Caulfield Cup as a $17 chance.
Top Melbourne jockey Glen Boss has been aboard Who Shot Thebarman for his two Flemington wins and will take the reins again on the weekend.
English import Junoob is the most fancied of the Waller quartet after winning the Group 1 $400,000 McGrath Estate Agents Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 4 and has been marked as a $14 chance with Ladbrokes.com.au.
While Waller’s other two runners Hawkspur and Moriarty are both marked at $21.
The Kris Lees trainer Lucia Valentina continues to hold her spot at the top of the market order and is a solid $4.60 favourite ahead of the two Japanese stayers Bande at $8 and Admire Rakti at $10.
The Peter Moody trained Lidari is at $13 while Dandino, Dear Demi, Rising Romance and the first emergency Brambles all share the next line of betting at $15.
