As Chris Walleris set to be crowned the leading Group 1 trainer for the second year in succession, the all-conquering Sydney trainer has been granted a permanent training base at Flemington.
Chris Waller will saddle up J.J. Atkins favourite Brazen Beau at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Waller has been steadily building up his Melbourne presence and now that the Victoria Racing Club has issued him with twenty-five boxes, he is certain to make a major impact on the Melbourne racing scene.
“We’ve taken over the stables and we’re just doing a bit of work on them at the moment,” Waller told Racing Network.
“We’ll have twenty-five boxes in total now which is perfect – exactly what I want and need.”
“We have already had some interest since people found out we were getting some more boxes,”
Waller is taking over the boxes from Anthony Freedman who is cutting down his Flemington stables.
With a fourth Sydney trainer’s premiership wrapped up, Waller is heading to Eagle Farm on Saturday with favourites for two of the three Group 1s and has a great chance to add to his eight Group 1 winners he has already saddled up this season.
Waller trained nine Group 1 winners in 2012-2013 and has a great chance to do better this season and will also have a strong hand in the last Group 1 of the racing season with Red Tracer and Catkins both a possibility to line up in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 21.
On Saturday at Eagle Farm, Waller will saddle up two year old Brazen Beau, the $2.20 favourite, in the Group 1 $500,000 J.J. Atkins (1600m) and last start winner Vilanova, $3.80 favourite, in the Group 1 $500,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m).
Brazen Beau burst into the Brisbane Winter Carnival spotlight with a dominant win in the Group 2 $175,000 Bollinger Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben on May 10 then was slow to leave the barriers when second to Time For War in the Group 2 $250,000 Mitavite BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on May 24.
While the hot and cold Vilanova found his best form with a stunning near last to first win in the Group 3 $150,000 Mullins Lawyers Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Doomben on May 24.
Waller will also have Red Tracer, an $8.50 chance, going around in the Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
While last Saturday’s Eagle Farm Cup winner Moriarty will be one of the main chances in the Group 2 $300,000 Brisbane Cup (2400m) as will Catkins in the Group 2 $200,000 VIRBAC Animal Health Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m).
