By Craig Kerry
Premier trainer Chris Waller is confident his star-studded team are ready to fire on the opening day of The Championships when he likely saddles up three of the four favourites in the group 1s at Randwick.
Wodeton (Sires Produce Stakes), Joliestar (TJ Smith Stakes) and Aeliana (Australian Derby) remained at the top of the markets after the fields were finalised and the barrier draws done on Tuesday.
Wodeton (right) was second to Marhoona in the Golden Slipper and has recovered well from the run.Credit: Getty Images
Wodeton, which surged to the line to go down narrowly in the Golden Slipper (1200m) to Marhoona, steps up to 1400m and is a $2.70 favourite for the $1 million feature for two-year-olds.
Waller said the Wootton Bassett colt had come through the Slipper run “really well” and was ready for the rise in distance.
“He finished off really well, he settles well, so it shouldn’t be a problem,” Waller said. “You don’t have to overtrain them after their grand final. He’s a colt, he’s a young horse and he’s thriving.”
He said Wodeton would again wear winkers, which he used in the Slipper. He has gate nine of 10 with champion English rider Ryan Moore taking over from James McDonald, who is in Dubai.
Aeliana (right) runs second to Broadsiding in the Rosehill Guineas.Credit: Getty Images
Aeliana is a $3.60 equal favourite with New Zealand Derby winner Willydoit for the $2 million staying test.
The filly has taken on the best of the opposite sex this campaign and proven herself, coming third in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m), fourth in the Randwick Guineas (1600m) then flashing home to go down by a nose in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) to Broadsiding.
Waller said the only query for Aeliana, which has gate two and Damian Lane aboard, was the jump in distance to 2400m.
“Because she’s raced against them, it’s not the unknown,” he said of her taking on the boys. “The only unknown is the distance, and it looks like, the way she’s racing, the 2400 might suit her.
“She’s got the right form lines, and she gets two kilos off for being a filly. There’s nothing really more to say. She deserved a group 1 win in the Thousand Guineas [when second], and she just ran into a bit of bad luck.”
Waller’s other Derby runner, Imperalist, is $101.
Joliestar was impressive in winning the group 1 Newmarket at Flemington on March 8.Credit: Getty Images
Joliestar is a $3.90 top elect for the $3 million TJ Smith following her impressive victory in the group 1 Newmarket at Flemington (1200m) on March 8 and the withdrawal of Galaxy winner Private Harry.
A nice draw in four and the booking of Lane has helped the four-year-old’s cause, and Waller hopes the Randwick track continues to improve after copping a deluge last weekend. It was rated a soft 7 on Thursday.
“I’m looking forward to seeing some good weather in the next few days, which should help her,” Waller said. “But a soft track wouldn’t worry me too much either. But I just wouldn’t want a heavy.
“She’s had a good enough time between runs and I’m really looking forward to it.”
He also has Switzerland ($16) in the sprint. The group 1-winning three-year-old colt has failed to fire in two runs this preparation and Waller has applied blinkers in a bid to find his best.
“I think we’ve often contemplated using them, but in the open, he’s good without them,” he said. “It’s just when he’s got cluttered up like the other day, you just want him to concentrate on what’s going on in front of him.”
The top Sydney stable has five runners in the $4 million Doncaster Mile, but none are at the top of betting markets
Four-year-old mare Firestorm ($10), carrying just 50kg, appeared his main hope after her win in the Millie Fox Stakes and close second to star filly Lady Shenandoah in the group 1 Coolmore Classic.
Waller’s Doncaster assault includes two Yulong-owned imports, Anisette ($101) and Moira ($19), which are on debut in Australia.
Six-year-old Canadian-bred Moira is a last-start winner of the group 1 Breeders Cup for fillies and mares in America in November.
“She’s a talented horse and I think she’ll be better in the spring,” Waller said. “But she’s definitely going to have a run in the autumn and I think the Doncaster is the right race for her.”
Five-year-old Anisette is a three time group 1 winner in America, including two Oaks, but she was ninth behind Moira last start in the cup.
“She’s not as good as Moira, but she’s actually, I wouldn’t say Moira’s travelled bad, but she’s come to Australia with more condition,” Waller said.
“So they’ve both put on good weight, but Anisette looks the better of the two in terms of how they’ve done since they’ve been here.”
Militarize ($51) and Kovalica ($35) are his other runners.
“It wasn’t our original plan, but his run the other day was very good, so it seems logical,” he said of Kovalica. “Militarize, I thought his run the other day was good. He was a bit flat second up and things didn’t go in his way. He was three wide outside the leader, so he did it pretty tough, so third run you’d expect him to bounce back.”
