Premiership trainer Chris Waller has positive thoughts for his three runners, Who Shot Thebarman, Libran and Kinema, in the Group 1 $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on day two of ‘The Championships’ on Saturday.
Who Shot Thebarman, above, is one of three runners trainer Chris Waller will saddle up in the Sydney Cup at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Waller is giving veteran stayer Who Shot Thebarman a great chance of finishing in the first three at his fourth run in the feature two miler of the Sydney Autumn Carnival with his best result being a second to stablemate Grand Marshal in 2015.
The proven two miler still has a zest for racing according to Waller who was happy with his last start fourth to Jameka in the Group 1 $1.5m The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill on March 25.
“He is still in the prime of his life, he loves two miles, doesn’t mind a bit of give in the track,” Waller said.
“His run in the BMW was excellent, he has drawn well and will be ridden closer from a good draw. He will be in the first three.”
Who Shot Thebarman will carry the top weight of 57kg and will jump from barrier four in the fourteen horse Sydney Cup field with Blake Shinn taking over from Tim Clark.
Clark has been given the task to ride Kinema, replacing Zac Purton who rode the six year old English import last start when fifth on a heavy track to Sydney Cup favourite Big Duke in the Group 2 $300,000 Schweppes Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) at Randwick last week.
Waller is giving Kinema (barrier 7) a lightweight chance and said he would appreciate genuine pace in the race on a better racing surface on Saturday.
“We need pace, I think there will be pace. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tim (Clark) let Kinema roll a touch but he needs cover,’ Waller said.
“I would love to see him race a bit closer, it would make the job easier for Tim.”
“Forget his last run and the run before that, it was a farcical pace. He needs good pace, he needs better ground, he should run two miles, lightweight chance.”
Last year’s Sydney Cup runner up Libran has drawn barrier thirteen with Hugh Bowman in the saddle and Waller is looking for a better performance on a drier surface after the six year old ran sixth on a heavy track last start in The BMW.
“Ran second in the race last year. He had a long layoff and needed the runs he had to get back,” Waller said.
“I thought he would have run better in The BMW, the rider said he didn’t handle the track at all.”
“It should be a better track on Saturday, with fine weather on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, it has a chance to get back to soft and that will be a big help for him.”
“He will run two miles, he is a good chance of running in the top three.”
The Randwick track was rated a heavy 8 on Friday for the second day of ‘The Championships’ with a real prospect of it being upgraded into the soft range with some clear weather forecast.
Who Shot Thebarman is the best fancied of Waller’s three Sydney Cup runners at $8 at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Libran at $14 while Kinema is listed as one of the outsiders at $41.
The Darren Weir trained Big Duke sits at the top of the betting at $2.50 ahead of last start Sellwood Stakes winner Assign at $7.
