A Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign or a trip to England for the Royal Ascot is on the cards for All Aged Stakes fancy Wandjina if he performs well at Randwick today.
Australian Guineas winner Wandjina has a great chance in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse is giving Wandjina an excellent chance to beat the older horses in the weight for age Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) before plans are made for his future.
“A really good colt this, a top class colt,” Waterhouse told Racing HQ Saturday.
“He is not my horse, I am only the custodian, the trainer, but I would take him to either Royal Ascot or I would take him to Queensland. I would take him to Queensland and then to Royal Ascot, that is what I would do.”
The Group 1 $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 23 and the Group 1 $2m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on June 6 would be likely targets for Wandjina during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Randwick has been rated a soft 6 for the final day of the Sydney Autumn Carnival but a drying day will suit the Snitzel three year old who is having his first run since leading all of the way to win the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7.
Waterhouse said the form coming out of the Australian Guineas is very strong with fourth placegetter Kermadec coming out and winning the Group 1 $3m The Star 150th Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 6.
“And you have to look at the form out of that Melbourne Guineas, that horse that won the Doncaster. This is a really serious colt,” Waterhouse said.
“And these three year olds have great chances in these weight for age races.
Waterhouse has given Wandjina a good report since he returned from Melbourne although she said that he didn’t look completely comfortable in winning a 1050m Randwick barrier trial on a soft track on March 31.
“He’s been impressive. He didn’t like the trial the other day. He didn’t like the greasy sort of conditions of the track there and he didn’t stride out quite what we’ve seen in Melbourne but I can’t fault his work,” Waterhouse said.
“I think it’s been absolutely top class. Everything is to suit him. I like these colts when they are on the rise and that is exactly what Wandjina is.”
Wandjina is rated an $8 chance for the All Aged Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au behind Chautauqua at $3.20, Terravista at $6 and Lucky Hussler at $7.
All Aged Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.20 Chautauqua, $6 Terravista, $7 Lucky Hussler, $8 Wandjina, $8.50 Shooting To Win, $10 Dissident, $15 Scissor Kick, $21 Generalife, $26 Rebel Dane, $41 Laser Hawk, Fontelina, $51 Weary, $61 Famous Seamus.
