Chris Waller is three wins away from his 100th Sydney winner for the season

Chris Waller has already had a year to remember in 2011 but at Rosehill tomorrow it could get even better for the kiwi expat.

He’s just three wins away from training his 100th Sydney winner for the season and he has good chances in more than half the card tomorrow.

He’s declared his biggest go as being Strike One in the $100,000 Stayer’s Cup.

He’s looking to go back to back in the event and with a field of just half a dozen assembled there’s every chance he’ll come up trumps.

After Strike One ran seventh in this year’s Sydney Cup Waller had him streamlined right towards this event.

“Had he won the Sydney Cup though he would have been aimed at Melbourne instead,” Waller said.

The horse certainly has the ability to overpower his rivals but it’s all a matter of how well eh can be controlled on the day.

Waller says he needs to be kept calm up until they turn and he’s ready to go for home.

“He’s been throwing his races away a bit from the 1000 to 400-metre marks, getting a bit far out of his ground,” Waller said.

“Tomorrow we’ll make sure we’re a lot closer turning for home and hopefully overcome that.”

The 3200m Stayer’s Cup has been quite disappointing for race organisers with just five horses nominated at first acceptances.

They extended the dates and things were looking up when 12 names were put forward but now the field has dropped back again to just six.

Waller was the man who fielded the extra with Patrician’s Glory coming in off a 2800m win at mid week level last start.

It could well be his last start for Waller before being sold so he’ll be hoping he runs well and is buoyed by his work over a good trip last time out.

“It was a very easy decision (to put Patrician’s Glory in as a late nomination), especially as he had won over 2800 metres last start,” Waller said.

“Had he not won last start I probably wouldn’t have done it, but he won quite well with a big weight and he won’t know himself tomorrow with a light weight (53kg).

“He’s very close to being sold which is why he wasn’t originally nominated. But when the field was so weak that’s when we thought he was going to be a great chance at winning some good prize money.”

While Strike One is the favoured of the two it’s probably not as clear cut as it first looks, especially given the horse hasn’t won since his victory in the event last year.

A massive plus though is the return of Nash Rawiller, he has the strength to keep the horse in check and that shows with their five starts together returning three wins.

“He loves Nash Rawiller,” Waller said.

“I’m sure they’re good mates.”

Waller has a huge advantage in this season Sydney premiership, 17.5 wins ahead of Peter Snowden.

If he can reach the 100 barrier before July 31st he’ll become only the fifth trainer in history to accomplish the effort.