Boban has failed to produce his best form during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival to date, but trainer Chris Waller has revealed that he can’t fault the talented miler heading into the 2014 Epsom Handicap at Royal Randwick this afternoon.
Boban is chasing his first race win since he took out the Chipping Norton Stakes during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Steve Hart
Boban started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a unlucky fourth place finish in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9 and was well backed in the lead-up to the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30, but never got into the race and finished fifth.
The Bernardini gelding was also well backed before the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13 and loomed as the winner at the 200 metres, but died on his run and finished a disappointing fifth.
Waller admits that Boban did not perform at his best in the Makybe Diva Stakes and revealed that he was not particularly happy with the coat of the five-year-old heading into the race, but was happy with the way that the triple Group 1 winner performed in a barrier trial over 1200 metres at Warwick Farm on September 26 heading into the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) this afternoon.
“The horse is going well, last start he was probably a touch below his best, but we can’t fault him and he has trialed since then,” Waller told Sky Racing HQ this morning.
“If I was to be critical of his last run it would only be because of his appearance, he may have just looked a bit pretty.”
Boban was the big winner of the 2014 Epsom Handicap barrier draw that was held at Star Casino on Wednesday and he will jump from the inside barrier with regular jockey Glyn Schofield on his back this afternoon.
Waller said that Boban may need a little luck to find clear running in the final stages of the Epsom Handicap, but the leading Sydney trainer believes that the inside draw gives the enigmatic gelding the best possible chance to show his explosive turn-of-foot.
“It will just enable him to settle and make Glyn’s job a little bit easier,” Waller said.
“He needs clear room from the 600 metre mark and the important part of the big race is getting them set up for the big finish and the draw will enable that.”
Boban is currently available at Epsom Handicap odds of $7 with Ladbrokes Australia to join Desert War, Super Impose, Chatham, Melodrama and Masquerade as back-to-back winners of the Group 1 event.
