Champion trainer Chris Waller is keen to return to Royal Ascot in England next year with Darley Classic winner Delectation a likely candidate.
Champion trainer Chris Waller is keen to head back to Royal Ascot in England next year. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Waller said that he had a great experience this year when he took his Group 1 winning three year old Brazen Beau to England to run second in the Group 1 £525,000 The Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6 furlongs) at Royal Ascot in June.
“I want to take a horse to Ascot again,” Waller said.
“I had an amazing experience. I’d like to think that’s what the international people think when they come to Flemington, Australia.
“You give people a good experience, and they’ll go back.
“We’ll go back with the best horse we can suited to that race – whether it be Delectation, Japonisme, Press Statement … I’m not sure who it’ll be, but we’ll be taking one that’s for sure.”
Brazen Beau proved to be the best sprinter in Australia during his three year old year with a win in the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington during the 2014 Melbourne Spring Carnival and then came out in the Autumn at the beginning of the year to beat the older horses in the Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) down the Flemington straight again.
Delectation gained a place on Waller’s list of Royal Ascot maybes with an upset win in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Choisir three year old Japonisme also made the Royal Ascot shortlist following his win in the Coolmore Stud Classic on Derby Day last Saturday week.
And Press Statement is also another contender after securing wins in the Group 1 $600,000 BMW Australia J.J. Atkins (1600m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival before heading to Caulfield in the Spring to win the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
As well as winning the Sydney trainer’s premiership for the fifth time in the 2014-2015 season Waller also topped the Group 1 winner’s table with fourteen.
This year Waller is well on the way to surpassing that total after Darley Classic winner Delectation became his ninth Group 1 winner this season.
