San Domenico Stakes A Learning Experience For Waller

Law will be making his debut for the Chris Waller stable in the 2014 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and the leading Sydney trainer is hoping to learn more about his new stable recruit.

Law has been a drifter in 2014 San Domenico Stakes betting.

Law has been a drifter in 2014 San Domenico Stakes betting. Photo by: Steve Hart

Law made his racing debut under the care of Gai Waterhouse with a win in the Listed New South Wales Thoroughbred Breeders Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival and took out the Adaptra Handicap (1000m) at the start of his autumn campaign, but failed to fire when stepped up in distance for both the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 1 and the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at the same venue on April 5.

Waller revealed earlier in the week that he has been attempting to teach Law to settle and he told Sky Racing HQ that he just wants to see the son of Denman settle in the early stages of the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m), so that he will be able to run out the trip in races like the Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 30 and the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at the same venue a fortnight later.

“I’ve just told the owners that we will just get him to the races and see where he is at naturally,” Waller said.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him and I just want him to switch off a little bit because his two wins have both been over 2000 metres.

“He is obviously a Breeders Plate winner, so he certainly has the ability, but we just want to stretch him out to 1200 and 1400 metres.

“It is just learning for me today and hopefully he can switch off from that barrier.

“He is a horse we could be talking about tomorrow saying it was a good run and next start he will be ready to win.”

Law has been one of the biggest drifters in 2014 San Domenico Stakes betting markets and he is now out to a quote of $14 after opening at $10 earlier in the week.

Nostradamus ($3.80) remains a narrow favourite in betting for the Group 3 event, but Ygritte has been a clear market mover with Ladbrokes Australia after trainer Gerald Ryan revealed that the Snitzel filly was his best winning chance in the race.

“She is an honest filly and she did a lot in the autumn on raw ability,” Ryan said.

“She always looked like she would be better when she got older and at 1400 metres.

“She has come up good and her work has been good coming into it.

“I’m really looking forward to her coming back in the spring.

“The filly is going to race close to the speed and from the gate I would put her on top of my two today.”

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.