Mile specialist Boban will have to regain his best form if he is to win back to back Group 1 $500,000 The Star Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Boban is searching for back to back wins in the Epsom Handicap at Randwick. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
And regular rider Glyn Schofield has great confidence in Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller to reboot Boban who would be the first horse to win with more than 57kgs since the great Super Impose won his second Epsom Handicap with 61kgs in 1991 if he were to claim the winner’s cheque again.
“There is none better than Chris Waller at getting them to improve,’’ Schofield told The Daily Telegraph.
Boban has been allocated 58kgs for the Epsom Handicap, 5kgs more than his winning weight last year and one 1kg more than his 57kgs he carried to victory in the Group 1 $1m Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington during last year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival.
“He carried 57kgs when he won the Emirates Stakes last spring,’’ Schofield said.
Boban has since won the weight for age Group 1 $500,000 Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm over the 1600m but has been unplaced at five runs since, his latest being a fifth to Dissident in the Group 1 $400,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13.
Waller has since given Boban a barrier trial at Warwick Farm on September 26, which he subsequently won in dazzling style.
The premiership winning trainer is set to have multiples runners again in a Group 1 race over the Sydney Spring Carnival and is likely to saddle up Royal Descent, He’s Your Man and Lucky Chappy as well as the three time Group 1 winner.
The last highly weighted horse to win the Epsom Handicap was the John O’Shea trained Racing To Win who carried 57kgs to victory in 2006, beating Desert War who had the topweight of 58kgs.
The Gai Waterhouse trained Desert War had won the two previous runnings of the Epsom, winning in 2004 with 50.5kg and then again the following year with 56.5kgs.
Even though Boban has missed the placings at his three runs this campaign, the Bernardini five year old is still well in contention for the Epsom Handicap and is marked as a $7 chance with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Last Saturday’s Shannon Stakes winner Rock Sturdy has rocketed into outright favouritism at $3.80 ahead of Boban’s stablemates Royal Descent at $5 and He’s Your Man at $6 while last year’s third placegetter Toydini is at $7.50.
