The Australian Turf Club has announced that the Group 3 Wiggle Stakes that is run during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival will be renamed in honor of Guy Walter.

The Wiggle Stakes, won by Catkins earlier this year, will now be known as the Guy Walter Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart

Walter tragically passed away from a heart attack in May and the Australian Turf Club has elected to pay tribute to the champion trainer by renaming the Wiggle Stakes, which is run on Chipping Norton Stakes Day at Warwick Farm, the Guy Walter Stakes.

The Chipping Norton Stakes was one of Walter’s favourite days on the racing calendar, after he won the Group 1 event on four straight occasions with talented stayer Tie The Knot, and Australian Turf Club Chief Executives Darren Pearce believes the Wiggle Stakes was an ideal race to be renamed in honor of the trainer who had a great deal of success with fillies and mares throughout his training career.

“Guy was not only an incredibly skilled horseman, but an ornament to Sydney racing and was recognised by all as a true gentleman of the turf,” Pearce told AAP.

“A part of Warwick Farm’s history will always be intertwined with the memory of Guy Walter and we wanted to name one of our races at Warwick Farm on such an important race day in honour of Guy and for Wendy and the whole Walter family.

“Wendy will also forever be welcome at ATC tracks and we are very pleased to make her an Associate Member of the Club.”

The majority of the horses that were trained by Walter have now joined new stables and close friend Joe Pride took over Walter’s Warwick Farm-based stable after Wendy Walter decided not to continue in her role as interim trainer of the stable.

Wendy Walter had plenty of success in her stint in charge of the stable and she had 14 winners and 18 placings from just 61 race starts.

Walter won the Wiggles Stakes with Danni Martine in 2005 and Bhandara in 2006.