The scratching of Boban from the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick today has left Chris Waller with five runners in the famous Randwick Mile on the first day of ‘The Championships’.
Weary is the best backed of Chris Waller five Doncaster Mile runners. Photo by Steve Hart.
Waller didn’t want to risk Boban on the heavy 9 track today and will run the triple Group 1 winner next week in the Group 1 $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.
“It’s a waste of time just knocking them around and giving them tough runs when you know the result before they run,” Waller told Racing HQ Saturday.
“Boban has just finished a solid workout now and he will go there.”
Waller is searching for back to back wins in the Doncaster Mile and will run last year’s winner Sacred Falls (Zac Purton), My Kingdom Of Fife (Craig Newitt), Hawkspur (Jim Cassidy), Royal Descent (Nash Rawiller) and Weary (Tommy Berry).
Weary has come in for some solid support and is now the $5 favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au just ahead of the Team Hawkes trained Messene at $5.50.
The grey gelding earned his spot in the Doncaster Mile with an impressive win on a heavy track in the Group 3 $150,000 Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Rosehill last week and Waller has been pleased with his progress since.
“He hasn’t done much at all this week. He has eaten very well though which is a great sign. Last week was his gallop, last Saturday, so we will know today how good he is,” Waller told Racing HQ Saturday.
“That’s another level to go to. He is certainly a great chance, awkward gate, thirteen, probably not too bad at all, needs a bit of luck with a nice lightweight on his back.”
Waller has positive thoughts for all of his Doncaster Mile runners and is giving Scared Falls a chance to win his second.
“He looks well too. This is the race he has been set for. He has been a touch soft in those first two runs so he should be rock hard fit today and seems to get through the conditions okay and the barrier draw is not too bad I don’t feel,” Waller said.
Hawkspur is dropping back in distance after finishing fourth to Silent Achiever in the Group 1 $500,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 22 but Waller says that could be to be an advantage on the heavy track.
“Fitness will be as important as anything on a heavy track and I think he will get through it okay. I think he has drawn perfectly to save a bit of ground. We will be a lot wiser after the race but I believe he has had the right preparation for it,” Waller said.
Waller is looking forward to seeing Royal Descent back on a heavy track after the Redoute’s Choice mare won last year’s Group 1 $550,000 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on a heavy 10.
“Very similar conditions today,” Waller said.
“We are hoping she gets through it equally as well today, she has been set for the race, held back in distance and again she will get a strong mile on a wet track so I think that is going to be big plus today.”
And Waller hopes that My Kingdom Of Fife can regain the form that saw him win the 2011 Group 1 $500,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.
“He is ready to improve, but hasn’t given me any sign at home that he has though. We will just be banking on what we know, he has some ability. Now that he at his best fitness he should be getting close to it. I would like a few more positive signs.”
“I certainly can’t fault any of the horses, they have had tremendous preparations so it’s good to go into a big race with that, these ones today are all one hundred percent.”
Royal Descent is the best of Waller’s runners behind Weary in the market order at $8.50, just ahead of Hawkspur at $9, Sacred Falls at $13 with My Kingdom Of Fife one of the roughies in the Doncaster Mile field at $67.
