Saturday Preview: Waller's glamour mares go head to head again in the Turnbull

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Waller has a strong hand in the Turnbull

Chris Waller holds a powerful hand in Saturday’s $750,000 G1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, with five stable stars set to line up. His team is spearheaded by outstanding mares Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and Aeliana (Castelvecchio), who are joined by Land Legend (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), Moira (Can) (Ghostzapper {USA}) and River Of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

The spotlight will fall firmly on Via Sistina and Aeliana, with little separating them in their two runs this preparation. They have already traded blows: Via Sistina edged out Aeliana in the G1 Winx Stakes, before Aeliana turned the tables in the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m). On that occasion, both mares had to settle for minor placings behind the brilliant Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars).

Speaking in his Chris Waller Racing Weekly Preview, the trainer said he was struggling to find any negatives around his leading duo.

“They both had a gallop on Saturday morning at Flemington and both were perfect,” Waller said.

“Via Sistina is working great, forget her last start run, the sectional times suggested she couldn’t win, but (she’s) come through it very well. James (McDonald) rides and she won the race last year. I’ve got no negatives.”

“Aeliana is ready to peak, she is not fully developed yet, she is still maturing, that is the only negative I can say about her. She doesn’t know that, she has never raced any better. She is a Derby winner, so the distance is going to suit and she placed in the Rosehill Guineas. There’s no negatives, apart from she is still six months away."

"Can she beat Via when she’s like that? If she does, she has a big future ahead.”

Waller boasts an outstanding record in the Turnbull Stakes, having won six of the past 10 editions. In that time, he has trained the quinella five times, and even swept the trifecta in 2020.

Via Sistina will attempt to defend her Turnbull Stakes crown after winning last year’s edition over her stablemate, the high-class Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock). The biggest threats to Waller’s star mares may come from Antino (GB) (Redwood {GB}), who looks ready to peak, and Sir Delius (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was impressive when defeating Buckaroo in the G1 Underwood Stakes last start.

Waterhouse-Bott team out for early juvenile black-type glory

Few stables command more respect in early 2-year-old contests than the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott partnership, and they again hold a powerful hand heading into Saturday’s juvenile stakes races at Randwick. Tulloch Lodge, which won six of the nine official trials, will saddle three colts and three fillies across the G3 Breeders’ Plate and G3 Gimcrack Stakes, while also sending Knightsbridge (Farnan) south to Flemington for the Listed Maribyrnong Plate Trial.

Of their six Randwick runners, five were trial winners: Eviction Notice (Stay Inside), Revengeance (Hellbent), I’m Ya Huckleberry (Home Affairs), Shiki (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Home Invasion (Home Affairs). The Wildling (Wild Ruler) also shaped well when finishing third.

The stable’s record in the Breeders’ Plate is remarkable, having not only won the past two editions but also training the trifecta both times—Espionage defeating Straight Charge (Written By) and Prost in 2023, followed by King Kirk beating Tempestuous (Extreme Choice) and North England (Farnan) last year.

Bott was taken by the trial of I’m Ya Huckleberry, a son of Home Affairs.

“I think there’s a lot of depth to him, he did a great job the way he executed his trial,’’ Bott told media earlier in the week.

“He has a nice action to him, he travelled well, he was lovely and settled. He came back and quickened when needed, he was strong late so I think there was a lot to like about him.”

Eviction Notice, a son of Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside, was one of the most eye-catching trial performers, scoring by almost eight lengths.

“I thought he was one of the standouts for the day,’’ Bott said.

“He ran good time, he was visually impressive in the way he did it. He’s a fast horse with some nice substance to him, he has a good constitution as well so it was hard to miss his performance.

“He’d been showing plenty at home, maybe the margin had he lined up in another event may have been different but he didn’t surprise us in the professionalism he showed.”

Revengeance also showed ability, though Bott noted he still has learning to do.

“He was still figuring it out on the day, he was challenged and really responded nicely,’’ he said.

“There was more to what we saw in his heat. When he puts it all together he’s going to be a nice horse, physically he’s a lovely strong individual.”

Among the fillies, Home Invasion impressed when scoring by nearly two lengths, while Shiki produced a sharp display.

“She went into it a bit fresh and did a few things wrong, she was in a rush to get it over and done with,’’ Bott said of Home Invasion.

“She’s shown sharp improvement off the back of the trial and is doing everything right at home.

“Shiki sat outside the lead and was impressive through the line. The Wildling led them up and was the ultimate professional, showed good speed and she stuck on well but might have bumped into a smart heat.”

In the G3 Breeders’ Plate, the Waterhouse/Bott-trained trio face stiff opposition, including Bjorn Baker’s Extreme Choice colt Paradoxium and the $1 million Stay Inside colt Incognito, prepared by Michael Freedman.

Meanwhile, the Gimcrack Stakes looks equally competitive, with Baker’s fillies Better Off Alone (Better Than Ready) and Masvingo (Zoustar) shaping as key contenders.

Autumn Glow poised to shine in the Epsom

The outstanding Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) puts her unbeaten record of six wins on the line in Saturday’s time-honoured $1.5 million G1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick.

Her flawless résumé already features two Group 2s, two Group 3s and a Listed victory, but this will be her biggest test yet. Adding to the challenge is barrier 14, the widest draw, which jockey Kerrin McEvoy will need to navigate if she is to secure that coveted Group 1 success for owners Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd and Hermitage.

“It always makes it harder but she is a good horse,’’ Waller's assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said after Tuesday's barrier draw.

“She obviously is very, very short in the market and she is just going to need to be really good.

“She is terrific. She obviously had that exhibition gallop on Saturday at the races and bounced through that. She was literally just doing too well. She is bouncing out of her skin and ready to explode.

This is her crack at a Group 1 but she deserves it.’’

It won’t be easy in what looks like a highly competitive edition of the famous mile. Among the biggest dangers are the proven topweight Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), Godolphin’s Pericles (Street Boss {USA}), who was sharp resuming for new trainer Bjorn Baker, and the Kiwi Pier (NZ) (Proisir), who looks to have returned in outstanding order and looms as a smoky under jockey Ethan Brown.

Apocalyptic looks for three in a row in the Flight

The Michael Freedman-trained Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice) will chase a third straight win, and her first at Group 1 level, in Saturday’s Flight Stakes at Randwick. The daughter of boom sire Extreme Choice has already stamped herself as one of the season’s standout 3-year-old fillies, winning both the G2 Furious Stakes and the G2 Tea Rose Stakes under regular rider Tommy Berry.

Like many of her rivals, Apocalyptic will step up to the mile for the first time, but Freedman is confident she has the quality to handle the test.

“She seems good, did a bit of striding work on Saturday morning and seems in good order so we are looking forward to next Saturday,” Freedman told Racenet.

“I would like to think (she will come into her own at a mile) but racing can throw up some funny scenarios sometimes.

“Whilst I really feel she is a filly that is shaping that will love the mile, you have to see them do it but she seems in great order.”

The G1 Flight Stakes shapes as a competitive affair with an even bunch of fillies. Tupakara (Trapeze Artist) is still chasing her maiden Group 1 victory after six consecutive stakes placings, Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}) finally draws a good gate and looks a strong chance, while Queen Of Clubs (Maurice {Jpn}), appears to be peaking at the right time and could thrive over the mile, looming as the upset danger.

Another Step on the Way to ‘The Everest’

The G2 $1 million Premiere Stakes looms as a key lead-up to the G1 The Everest, with slot-holders Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), Briasa (Smart Missile) and Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}), likely having their final hit-out before the $20 million feature in two weeks’ time.

Several others are also out to press their claims for a late slot, keeping the pressure on in what is shaping as one of the most competitive editions of the Premiere in recent years.

One under the spotlight is Private Harry, who disappointed in the G2 The Shorts. Trainer Nathan Doyle has turned to Tim Clark and admits improvement is needed, though he remains upbeat.

“It’s a competitive race, I suppose he needs to improve and he needs to get things right,’’ Doyle told Racenet.

“He definitely needs to run top three to warrant pushing on to an Everest, but I feel he can do so.

“He just got it all wrong first-up. You can’t do anything wrong, you’re against the best sprinters in A grade.

“He’s a fast horse and he likes to be up on speed and when they are like that they need to get everything right out of the machines. If he gets that right I’m sure he can bounce back and be competitive.”

The Everest slot-holders naturally look hardest to beat, but Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) could again give a bold sight up front, while Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) looms as a potential giant-killer for trainer Brad Widdup if he brings his best.