Waller enjoying distractions as Autumn Glow makes her own history

If Autumn Glow was his only “good horse”, Chris Waller says he would go crazy.

The pressure of expectation, the short prices, debates over where the unbeaten star should go next and the comparisons to his greatest horse, Winx, are as inevitable as the mare’s dominations on the track.

Chris Waller with Autumn Glow before her Golden Eagle win.Credit: KATE GERAGHTY

Luckily for Waller, he has plenty of elite horses, and with it, not the time to waste dwelling on all that.

Sydney’s premier trainer has seven of the nine runners on Saturday in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) [formerly Chipping Norton Stakes] at Randwick. All are good horses, but the intensifying spotlight is fixed on arguably Australia’s best as she shoots for a perfect 10.

Autumn Glow’s aura grew again when she cruised to victory in the Apollo Stakes (1400m), the four-year-old’s first weight-for-age test, first-up two weeks ago, putting two and three-quarter lengths on her rivals with only a dig of James McDonald’s right boot.

She is a $1.30 favourite to win on Saturday against a similar field, featuring resuming dual Group 1 winner Sir Delius.

For many, though, it is a case of how far, both in winning margin and streak, for Autumn Glow, just as it was a decade ago when Winx claimed the first of her four Chipping Norton Stakes in a run of 33 consecutive victories.

Autumn Glow cruises to victory in the Apollo Stakes.Credit: Getty Images

Waller, though, says he is not feeling deja vu and the pressures that come with training Australia’s newest darling of the turf.

“I swear on my life, I don’t, because you’ve got so many other horses to think about,” he said.

“I think that’s a big thing when you’re training a few good horses. It takes the distraction away.

“If she was our only good horse, I’d be going crazy. But I’m thinking about Aeliana, I’m thinking about Lindermann. They’re both good horses.

“I’m thinking about Trinity College. I’m thinking about Wootton Verni and how I get him to a Ranvet and a Tancred. I’m thinking about Soul Of Spain and if I could win a Sydney Cup with him. All the same thoughts, all the races, that’s part of a puzzle. To get them to those targets, and in some ways, it’s good. It just takes away the distraction.”

In that sense, Waller says the scene is similar to the Winx era.

“Winx won a Queen Elizabeth and we won the Oaks and the Sydney Cup,” he said.

“You are putting a saddle on Autumn Glow, but three races before that, two weeks ago, we were saddling up Joliestar, Lady Shenandoah, so it just suits me. It doesn’t help me to overthink things.”

Waller was low-key about Autumn Glow’s Apollo domination, which has set up preparations for Saturday. She has drawn well in gate three and a potential wet track would be of little concern given her win in the Golden Eagle on a soft 7.

“It was good,” Waller said of the Apollo run.

“I haven’t gone into it too much. I choose not to, just to keep things simple. Their first run is so important for me, to know exactly where they are at.

“Just normal routine since. She races, she goes back to the Hermitage for three days. She comes back to us. Had a quiet gallop Saturday, and stronger gallop Tuesday, off to the races.

“She was well-prepared going into her first-up run. That sets the foundation. Everything in our control is good. We just need a bit of luck race day.”

Waller was focused on Saturday’s run but said the George Ryder Stakes remained the next target. After that, the Doncaster, Queen Of The Turf and Queen Elizabeth were all under consideration.

In Saturday’s other Group 1 at Randwick, the Surround Stakes (1400m), Waller has Karinska ($34) and Panova ($17) building towards likely targets the Coolmore Classic and Vinery respectively.

Perhaps Waller’s most interesting runner on Saturday is Central Europe, which debuts in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes. The $750,000 Frankel colt opened at $15 (TAB) for the Golden Slipper and remained at $18 off three trials. He was $8.50 on Saturday.

“He’s been playing schoolboy rugby and doing pretty well, and he’s playing NRL on Saturday,” Waller said.

“It’s just that time of the year, there’s no other way of doing it. He’s thrown in the deep end.”

He also has Campione D’Italia and Inglis Millennium winner Fireball in the Slipper qualifier.

“He’ll have a good break after Saturday if he’s not up to it,” he said of Campione D’Italia.

“At home, he’s a good horse. Race day, he’s got to prove it.

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