Chris Waller, Coolmore set to unveil another seven-figure colt
For the second consecutive Saturday, Chris Waller and the powerhouse Coolmore team are set to debut another high-priced Magic Millions yearling in Sydney.
Snitzel colt United States is set to make his first appearance in the $160,000 The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1000m) at Randwick.
His debut follows the impressive performance of $1.6 million yearling Wodeton last weekend, who lived up to lofty expectations with a dazzling win at Rosehill, catapulting him to the top of Golden Slipper betting.
United States, a $1.75 million purchase by Tom Magnier, was one of only two colts at last year’s Gold Coast Yearling Sale to fetch a higher price than Wodeton. He was the sale’s highest-priced colt at the time, surpassed only by the $2.1 million Wootton Bassett-Avantage filly and the $1.9 million Too Darn Hot-A Time For Julia colt later that day.
United States heads into Saturday’s race off a single trial at Rosehill on January 7, where he finished a comfortable third, 2-1/4 lengths behind Yoweri. According to Waller’s racing manager, Charlie Duckworth, the team debated whether to trial him again, but drawing barrier two sealed the decision to run.
“It was 50/50 whether he ran on Saturday, but he has drawn soft, so it probably forces our hand to run,” Duckworth explained.
“He was still in the trials (on Thursday) in case he drew wide, as he would have trialled instead and raced the following week in the Canonbury.
“One trial does make it hard, but if we go in there with no pressure, I’m sure he will be fine.”
United States comes from a strong bloodline. His dam, Warranty, was a dual city winner who placed at Listed level. She is also related to Group 2 winner and stallion Niagara, as well as Group 1 Railway Stakes winner Gathering. Another half-sibling, Florentina, is the dam of American Group 1 winner In Italian.
Earlier this month, United States’ brother sold at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $600,000 to China Horse Club, Newgate, and partners. Warranty recently gave birth to a Too Darn Hot filly and has since been served by Wootton Bassett.
Kerrin McEvoy takes the reins for United States’ debut, and while the 1000m distance may not be his ideal trip, Duckworth is keen to see how he performs under race-day conditions.
“We wanted him to relax, so (over) 1000 metres, they should run him off his feet early, but he has got a big engine,” Duckworth said.
“This is the time of the year when you want your two-year-olds to be racing. Every race for them on a Saturday, whether they’re black-type or not, they’re proper Slipper qualifiers from now on.”
United States has been installed as the favourite for Saturday’s race and is already being kept safe in the 2025 Golden Slipper betting, sitting at $26.
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