Trainer Chris Waller has admitted that he is not expecting much from Coup Ay Tee in the Group 2 2013 Villiers Stakes (1550m) at the Randwick Kensington track on Saturday.
Chris Waller would be surprised if Coup Ay Tee is able the tenth win of his racing career in the Villiers Stakes in Sydney this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Coup Ay Tee has been up and racing since May and has recorded two victories from eleven starts, taking out the Gifts.Com.Au Handicap (1400m) at Royal Randwick on May 25 and the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) on August 22nd, but failed to fire when taken across to New Zealand for the Group 2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton Park on November 13.
Waller told Racing Ahead that it is tough travelling a horse overseas, even just to New Zealand, and does not rate Coup Ay Tee a winning chance with the top-weight of 59kg on his back in the Villiers Stakes this weekend.
“He has come back in good shape but it is hard to send a horse over there and bring it back,” Waller said.
“He has been forced to carry 59kg and there was an article during the week that said that no horse has done that since the 1940s.
“It doesn’t look good for us in terms of history and I admit that he is no superstar but obviously he has won some good races to get that weight.
“I am not expecting too much but horses like him have limited opportunities once they reach their mark and if he can win some more prizemoney that would be great.”
Waller also has Said Com in the Villiers Stakes tomorrow and he is far more optimistic about the chances of the O’Reilly gelding – who is chasing his first victory at Group level after going close to upsetting Mosheen in the 2012 Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).
Said Com has performed well without winning this preparation, finishing sixth in the Bob Ingham Handicap (1200m), a narrow second behind Ninth Legion in the Wadalba Handicap (1350m) and fifth behind White Sage in the Listed Festival Stakes (1500m), and Waller is hopeful that the five-year-old can breakthrough for his first victory this preparation on Saturday.
“I think that he is on song,” Waller said.
“The question is a mile but he runs like he will get further.
“Fortunately tomorrow he gets a good run from a nice gate and I think that he is well weighted.
“He is in good form, is at the right stage of his preparation and there are absolutely no excuses for him tomorrow.”
Said Com is currently available at odds of $10 in 2013 Villiers Stakes betting markets, while there has been support for Coup Ay Tee ($12), despite Waller’s pessimistic outlook of the six-year-olds chances.
