Trainer Chris Waller is hoping that Irish import Endless Drama can finish closer to his super star stablemate Winx in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Jockey Tye Angland, above, rides Endless Drama in the Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Endless Drama was having his second start for the Waller stable and his first for the 2017 Sydney Autumn Carnival when he finished six and three quarter lengths third behind Winx in the Group 2 $250,000 The Star Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 13.
While Winx is expected to win and chalk up her fifteenth straight win and collect her tenth Group 1 trophy, Waller will be just as pleased if Endless Drama was able to the bridge the gap at the end of the more suitable 1600m of the Chipping Norton Stakes.
“I think he is in the similar boat to Hartnell. He can improve over the mile,” Waller told RSN’ Racing Ahead.
“That was a terrific first up run and just be hoping to bridge that gap so it was not as big a margin as it was first up.”
Winx completely dominates the betting for the Chipping Norton Stakes and Ladbrokes.com.au have her as the $1.12 favourite ahead the John O’Shea trained Hartnell ($8) who finished two and three quarter lengths behind Winx in the Apollo Stakes.
Endless Drama has drawn barrier seven in the ten horse field with Tye Angland to ride and is on the third line of betting at $17 and is the next best of Waller’s other five runners in the Chipping Norton Stakes.
Waller will also saddle up Libran ($81), Magic Hurricane ($101), Preferment ($201) and Grand Marshal ($201).
Waller will decide after the Chipping Norton Stakes if Endless Drama stays in Sydney for the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 1, day one of ‘The Championships’, or heads to Melbourne for the Group 1 $1.5m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 11.
“I am trying to work out if we do that (go for the Australian Cup) or whether we keep him up here for the Doncaster because he has about 52.5kg,” Waller said.
“And I am mindful that he did fail in the Emirates Stakes, the old Mackinnon down there. The track probably gets a little bit firm for him so just mindful of those things.”
“Tomorrow will tell me a bit more.”
Endless Drama failed to beat a runner home at his first run for Waller when twelfth to Awesome Rock in the Group 1 $2m Emirates Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on the last day of the 2016 four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
