Saturday’s Run To The Rose key for Waller youngsters
CHAMPION trainer Chris Waller will be using Saturday’s Run To The Rose as a guide to see where his three-year-olds stand at the elite level.
He has taken over the training of former Ken Kelso-trained runner Nikitas and along with Cellarman, both will be on trial in the Run To The Rose at Rosehill.
Waller also lines up quality fillies Cocoexcel and Sezanne which will contest the St Mary’s 3YO and Waller expects to see where his youngsters are at on Saturday.
“You get a rough idea through their training because you get good feedback from the good horses, but these days are important,” Waller said. “It is a great time of year for horses finding their way.
“With these horses, Saturday will tell us where we are heading with them and where they fit in.”
Cellarman was an impressive last start winner in Brisbane and Waller believes it will need to run in the first three to gain a spot in the Group 1 Golden Rose next month.
“He was a bit naughty as a two-year-old and we never got the chance to form an opinion of him,” Waller said. “That’s why we sent him to Brisbane. He has come back a more mature three-year-old and we now have an opinion of him.
“It is a nice starting point. Obviously, if he can run first three, he is a Golden Rose chance. If not, there are other races we can go to.”
Nikitas was good enough to finish second in the Magic Millions and third in the Queensland Sires Produce and after two trials, Waller will know more about it after the race.
“He has had a couple of soft trials and is in a similar spot to Cellarman – we find out a lot more about him from this race,” Waller said.
Cellarman and Nikitas are both outsiders in the Run To The Rose, but stablemates Cocoexcel and Sezanne are much better chances. Debut winner Cocoexcel is currently $4.60 at Sportsbet.com.au and it looks the biggest danger to favourite Evacuation.
“You can’t take the jump to a race like the Furious Stakes with them because if they run third or fourth it weights them out of other races,” Waller said. “This race will give us a good indication about a race like the Tea Rose.
“It’s a bit of a gamble running with Cocoexcel going to the 1400 metres because she has natural speed, but she has quality.”
All of Chris Waller’s runners will have to contend with a heavy track as Rosehill has been doused with heavy rain throughout the week.