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Waller said it was “an honour to be regarded as being good enough to train for” Godolphin, who had been his stable’s biggest competitor and “best yardstick”.
“We’ve taken over from a great operation,” he said.
Jockey James McDonald, trainer Chris Waller and apprentice Braith Nock were awarded for the Sydney premierships on Saturday at Rosehill.Credit: Getty Images
“Just seeing the horses come into our system, my riders have said, ‘wow’. The young horses are so well-educated. Horses like her have just settled in really well.
“I was nervous coming into the race, just to make sure everything went well. It’s a good relief.”
The opening race victory was fitting given Waller and McDonald’s dominance last campaign to win their 15th and seventh consecutive Sydney premierships respectively.
Waller, who also won the last when Ravenclaw blitzed his rivals under Tommy Berry, said his team was continually striving to improve their Saturday strike-rate.
“It was last Saturday, end of season, straight into it,” he said.
“What can we do better? Where can we improve? Yesterday we went through the runners different to how we did before, trying to make the race day a little bit easier.”
Dream win for rookie trainer
Wyong trainer Denim Wynen was in disbelief after a former Yulong filly bought for $85,000 delivered her a first city winner on Saturday at Rosehill.
Sunshine Law, having her first start for Wynen, hit the lead 150m out and scored a half-length victory over Super Norwest in the 1400m benchmark 78 for fillies and mares. It gave Wyong apprentice Anna Roper a double and Wynen a career highlight.
Wynen, who has been training for owners for two years and has 16 horses in work, was given the Alabama Express mare after clients bought her online. Trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Sunshine Law won two starts heading into the sale.
“I still can’t believe it’s true,” Wynen said of the $82,500 win.
“Credit to [the owners], they picked it. They’ve been a big support to my stable the last six months. They bought some weanlings and they wanted to get to the races sooner, so they decided to go to the tried sales and picked up two nice horses from Yulong, so I think we’re going to have some fun with them.”
The 29-year-old said Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan had been a guiding light.
“I didn’t want to go to school any more when I was 14 and my brother was working with horses and my mum said if I got a job, I was allowed to leave school, and I went and worked for Kristen Buchanan,” she said.
“She took me in and she was like a mum to me and that’s where I’ve been since.”
Wynen’s other runner, Monkhana, was second in the Midway handicap.
Pride eyes another dance for Headley
Trainer Joe Pride was looking to give Headley Grange another shot at a Big Dance qualifier after he bounced back with a two-length victory on Saturday.
Headley Grange was sixth as favourite in Big Dance qualifier South Grafton Cup last start, after winning the listed Civic Stakes at Randwick, and he thrived on heavy going in the rain at Rosehill under Adam Hyeronimus in the 1500m open handicap.
Adam Hyeronimus rides Headley Grange to victory.Credit: Getty Images
“I’m not sure where his ceiling is,” Pride said.
“I don’t think he’s a serious group horse, but I think he’s a really nice horse who’s already won one black-type race and I’m sure there’s plenty more to come.
“At some point I want to give him another go at a Big Dance qualifier.”
Hyeronimus made it a double with an all-the-way win on The Novelist for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in the benchmark 94 (1300m). Bott said the Goulburn Cup could be next for The Novelist.
Trainer Bjorn Baker also had a bounce-back win, when Stardeel led all the way under Josh Parr in the benchmark 72 (1200m), after coming from last to finish fourth last week at Randwick. Baker said Stardeel would likely go for a spell.
Freedmans weigh up Four Pillars
Will Freedman quipped he “might have to lock in an apprentice now” to take weight off Cold Brew in the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) on November 1 at Rosehill after the four-year-old cruised to victory at the track on Saturday.
Backing up first wins at Hawkesbury and Newcastle, Cold Brew defied a three-wide run without cover under Jason Collett to surge to an almost four-length win in the Midway benchmark 72 (1400m).
Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father, Richard, said Cold Brew may go for a spell before a potential Four Pillars shot, although he feared the gelding may get weighted out of the benchmark 68 race.
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“His rating might be too big now, but he might be a Four Pillars horse. He’s pretty progressive,” Freedman said of Cold Brew, which was rated at 68 before the victory.
Dunn mare shines in Kosciuszko trial
Unbeaten mare Without Parallel pushed her claims for a slot in the $2 million Kosciuszko with a dominant victory in the class 3 Highway Handicap (1200m) on Saturday.
Under two-kilogram claiming apprentice Anna Roper, the Matt Dunn-trained favourite raced outside leader Where’s The Fire from gate three and took over at the top of the straight before cruising to an almost five-length win.
It was a first test on heavy ground and in Highway grade for the four-year-old, which now has four victories from four starts and opened as a $26 chance for the Kosciuszko slot race after Saturday’s win.
The 1200m Kosciuszko, held on Everest day, October 18 at Randwick, is the richest race for country-trained horses.
Dubbo trainer Dar Lunn also put the Kosciuszko in plans for Elson Boy, which held off Waller-trained Captain Furai in the ninth, a benchmark 78 (1400m), for a first win in 412 days.
