GETTING A LINE ON CHRIS WALLER'S SIX PRONGED ATTACK ON THE TOOWOOMBA CUP AND THE WEETWOOD

By Graham Potter | Friday, April 5, 2019

Paul Shailer, who runs the Queensland arm of the Chris Waller racing organization, gave HRO some insight into the stable’s chances in the two big features races at Toowoomba on Saturday.

“We’ve got four in the Toowoomba Cup. “They’ve all been here for some time and I think we’ve got a strong hand there,” Shailer said.

“Follow Suit … he didn’t handle the heavy track last start but he has trained on really well.

“Xebec … he was in the Gold Coast Stakes last start. It was a poor ride even by the rider’s admission. Before that he was racing pretty well. He’ll be very competitive.

“The Lord Mayor …he ran at Eagle Farm (on March 23 over 1500m) first-up since he came up from Sydney. He got back and ran on really well. We’ve added blinkers to his gear. With 54kg on his back (stepping up to 2000m) I think he’s going to be right there.

Vaucluse Bay … what you see is what you get from him. He is an on-pace runner and he is in good form … so, yeah, they’ve all got their chances.

You can almost say the Cup runners are Queensland horses now. Xebec been here almost two years now, Follow Suit has had half-a-dozen runs here. Vaucluse Bay has had three or four etc etc.”

*At the time of writing The Lord Mayor is a $3.70 chance. Vaucluse Bay is $8.50. Xebec is $10. Follow Suit is $19.

***************************************************************************************************

Waller’s Weetwood runners do not fall into that ‘Queensland’ category.

In fact, Cellarman and Sexy Eyes were both only due to leave Sydney on Wednesday night and arrive at their Gold Coast stables on Thursday morning.

Shailer described them as ‘genuine Sydney horses.’

“It’s the Weetwood and then maybe we’ll find a race for them through the carnival and then they will go back to Sydney, but the Cup horses will stay here.

Cellarman, a five-year-old, eight-time winner with just under half a million in stake earnings, won five of the seven races he contested over the period from December 2017 to March 2018 but, significantly, he has not raced since winning last year’s Doncaster prelude on March 31, 2018.

Cellarman finished last in a trial in heavy going on March 26. First-up from twelve months off carrying 60kg (giving his rivals between 0.5kg and 6kg) … it could be a big ask, but would really feel safe underestimating a Waller runner.

Sexy Eyes is also first up coming off the back of a freshen up following her Group 3 feature win at Gosford on December 28. She does drop back in distance from 1600m to 1200m, a factor which could play either way … she could be keen to go fresh or she could prefer a longer trip.

Whatever performances these runners put in on the day, chances are it will pay to follow both of them as they pick up more race fitness moving forward.

*At the time of writing Sexy Eyes is a $6 chance. Cellarman is at $18.