Waller with three chances in the G1 JJ Atkins Stakes
Only three Group 1 races remain for the 2022-23 season, and it is tight at the top as to who will win train the most winners.
Chris Waller, with 12 wins to date, currently heads the list from James Cummings (11) with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace (10) in third place.
Waller will look to cement his place at the top of the ladder with three runners in the first of two Group 1 races at Eagle Farm on Saturday, the J J Atkins (1600m) which will be followed by the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in which he does not have a runner.
Only the Maher and Eustace stable have runners in both races.
Waller said his three two-year-olds in the J J Atkins, Chrysaor, and Tannhauser, are all very good colts that come from different backgrounds.
Starting his career in Queensland, which included a start in the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast in January, Chrysaor started his current campaign with a win at Gosford on May 6 before being an unlucky third in the Group 2 BTC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm on May 27.
“He had no luck at all in the Sires’ due to a good barrier and not being able to get out,” Waller said.
“He has drawn wide on Saturday, and will need a bit of racing luck from there, but his work has been very good and he will appreciate the mile.”
Congregation enters Saturday’s race having won his only two starts at Canterbury and Rosehill. He is stepping up from 1300m to 1600m, but Kerrin Mcevoy is sticking with him.
“He has the pedigree, the good looks and a great attitude along with plenty of ability,” Waller said.
“The query I have with this horse is whether it is all too soon with the seven-day back-up, but he has a nice draw and a good jockey who is in form who has won both starts on the horse.
“Not only will this horse be competitive on Saturday, but I also can’t wait to see his career unfold.”
Tannhauser earned a trip to Queensland with his win over 1400m at Randwick on May 27 and will have the services of James Mcdonald on Saturday.
“He has trained on well, settled in nicely at the Gold Coast stable and he has a good barrier draw on Saturday with a very good jockey aboard,” Waller said.
“He is a well-bred colt that looks the part and gets his chance in a Group 1 race as a two-year-old.”
More Racing News
Caulfield Cup fall victim Half Yours is back home and doing well
Good news has emerged regarding the riders involved in the Caulfield Cup, with the Victorian Jockeys Association reporting both have been discharged from hospital.Mark Zahra and Jye McNeil were transported to the Alfred Hospital after a dramatic fall during the Caulfield Cup on Saturday.The sequence of events saw Half Yours,...
Mr Brightside's Flemington Mile participation uncertain
The Lindsay Park training outfit, comprising Ben, Will, and J D Hayes, will hold off on confirming Mr Brightside's start at Flemington until the acceptance stage.Mr Brightside is expected to be nominated for the Group 2 Kia Ora Stud Mile (1600m) this Saturday, though Ben Hayes indicated he is only...
Warwoven's Cox Plate Prospects to be Decided by King's Ride
Melbourne's racing scene is abuzz as Sydney jockey Rachel King prepares to reunite with Warwoven for a crucial track gallop. This workout is designed to give the final go-ahead for the Bjorn Baker-trained colt's potential entry into the esteemed Cox Plate at Flemington.King, who celebrated a Caulfield Guineas victory aboard...
Infancy's The Invitation prospects while in foal
Dual stakes winner Infancy is eagerly awaiting a potential start in the $2 million The Invitation at Randwick, a race that could significantly boost her career accolades before she transitions to her role as a broodmare.The six-year-old mare has recently been served by the promising young sire Anamoe. Her trainer,...
Tempted claims The Everest crown in thrilling renewal
The tenth running of The Everest delivered a familiar outcome at the top but with a new champion crowned, as Tempted outdueled Ka Ying Rising before a record-breaking crowd of 52,110.For trainer Ciaron Maher, this victory represents his second success in The Everest, building on Bella Nipotina's triumph in 2024....
Autumn Glow's flawless Sydney spring culminates in King Charles triumph
Autumn Glow smoothly assumed the lead in the prestigious Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) as the field turned for home, just as Ceolwulf began to mount a challenge.Trainer Chris Waller reportedly turned to jockey Darren Beadman and inquired, "Are we in trouble?" Beadman's swift reply was,...
Gavin Bedggood celebrates biggest win as Kingswood triumphs in Caulfield Cup
Trainer Gavin Bedggood has achieved his career-defining success with Kingswood winning the Caulfield Cup.The Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on Saturday was claimed by the UK-bred import Kingswood, marking Bedggood's most significant achievement, eclipsing his previous best in the 2024 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley.Bedggood, who was a proficient jumps...
Apocalyptic finds her best form in the Silver Eagle
While it was a supporting event on The Everest undercard, Apocalyptic's triumphant return to the winner's circle on Saturday was a considerable achievement for trainer Michael Freedman and jockey Tommy Berry.The mare, a Group 1 victor of last year's Flight Stakes, had been underperforming in the autumn and her initial...
War Machine back in winning form at Caulfield
A great deal has transpired for War Machine over the past twelve months.On the equivalent weekend last year, the horse trained by Ben, Will, and Jd Hayes, War Machine, was competing in Sydney for The Everest.While the results didn't align with the Lindsay Park trainers' aspirations, War Machine had entered...
Saintly Dancer's Thousand Guineas triumph highlights Shinn's comeback
Jockey Blake Shinn has celebrated his first Group 1 win since recovering from a significant leg injury, as Saintly Dancer dictated terms from the front to capture the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield.Shinn endured a fractured leg from a fall during last year's Melbourne Cup and made his return to competitive...