The 2015 Winter Cup nominations have been released and Sydney trainer Chris Waller could have seven runners in the Listed event at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.
Black Jag is set to be one of seven Chris Waller-trained gallopers that is set to contest the 2015 Winter Cup. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Black Jag broke through for his first race win in almost 12 months when he beat Lady Cumquat and Kareeming to win the Banjo Paterson Series Heat 3 (2500m) at Flemington on June 13 and the Excites gelding will have the chance to record back-to-back wins for the first time since 2012.
Another Waller-trained galloper that is set to take winning form into the Winter Cup is imported galloper Danchai.
Danchai finally scored his first race win in Australia when he took out the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) on June 13 and connections opted not to keep him in Queensland for the Tattersalls Cup last Saturday.
Reigning has not competed at black type level since he finished eight behind Brambles in the 2012 edition of the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m), but the Choisir gelding will be given another opportunity at stakes level following his narrow win in the Schweppes Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on June 13.
Veteran gelding Bagman finished a narrow second behind Reigning in the Winter Cup and he will have the chance to return to winning form in the Winter Cup.
Bagman was placed at Group level in both the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) and Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on September 20, but he has not scored a race win since his triumph in the Legacy 2014 Badge Appeal Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield in August 16.
Our Voodoo Prince is another stayer that has not seen the winner’s stall for a while, but he will have the chance to return to winning form in the Winter Cup this weekend.
Our Voodoo Prince was stamped as a Caulfield Cup contender after he started his Australian racing career with three straight wins in March last year, but he failed to fire during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and he was sent to the spelling paddock after flopping in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).
The Kingmambo gelding returned to a semblance of his best form with a second place finish in the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28 and he has since performed well without winning in the Listed McKell Cup (2400m) at Royal Randwick on May 23 and the Stayers Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on June 6.
Gosh and Trade Commissioner round out Waller’s potential runners in the Listed event, while Bonfire, Dream Folk, Kapour, Missvonn, Rapa Nui and Scintillula round out the 2015 Winter Cup nominations.
