Waller's smart dual-state strategy yields feature race success

Chris Waller's astute decision to campaign his promising three-year-olds, Consulate and Katoto, in separate states has yielded the desired outcome, with both horses emerging victorious in their respective feature races.

The decision saw Katoto scratched from the Sandown Guineas (1600m), which Consulate went on to win, while Katoto herself secured a Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) triumph at Newcastle about ninety minutes later.

“You know what Chris is like, he's very meticulous and methodical with his planning,” said Waller's assistant trainer, Charlie Duckworth. “He'll never lock in for one way or another. He'll keep his options open, and it has worked out he's ended up winning both races as a result.”

Katoto's victory in the Spring Stakes marks her as the sixth filly to claim the prize in the eight runnings since the race moved to November. Having recently raced in Melbourne, she displayed a superior turn of foot at Newcastle on Saturday, overcoming a position in the second half of the field under Tyler Schiller to defeat the favourite Kickup Rocky ($2.45) by a length. Prince Of Verona ($4.80) finished third.

“Whilst we did throw her in the deep end, we were confident the ability was there and she just needed conditions to suit,” Duckworth explained. “I said to Tyler, you've just got to do no work early, get her to relax and then she'll see out the mile, and he did exactly that and she absolutely blew them away.”

Duckworth believes Katoto will benefit from a spell before being aimed at autumn targets, potentially including the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), provided she maintains her ability to relax in races. “But she does need to continue to relax. She did that beautifully today, so there's no reason she couldn't,” he noted. “In terms of building her value, you've got to try to get her into those Group One races and then work out where her ceiling is.”

Despite a slight tendency to hang in the final stages, Schiller confirmed the filly was always in control. “I thought she chimed in at the right time,” Schiller reported. “She got a little bit stargaze-y the last hundred, but for a horse who hasn't hit the front for a while, I wasn't too worried. She really stuck it out late.”

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