Latest news with #Waller-trained
Courier-Mail
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Trainer Chris Waller saddles up Changing Colours at Randwick
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Trainer Chris Waller is eager to get a better guide on what the future holds for Crossbow and Kokatahi as the promising duo highlight their stakes potential at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Waller said he had a good opinion of both gallopers and would give them an opportunity to snare a late season juvenile win in the Schweppes 2YO Handicap (1400m). 'It's a great time of year to learn about horses and for them to learn about racing and some surprise you and some disappoint you,' Waller said. 'Until they are under race pressure, you don't learn much especially when you get slowly run races and things like that. 'Horses need to have three or four runs and you get a pretty good gauge where they are going to be for the rest of their career.' • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Waller got a decent guide on both horses when the pair clashed first-up against another of his smart young prospects, Central Coast. The trio made up a Waller-trained trifecta at Canterbury Park on June 18 when Central Coast got out in time to score in a 1250m event from Crossbow and Kokatahi. Crossbow ($4.60) is rated the better of Waller's chance to breakthrough on Saturday with Kokatahi at $15. Crossbow, to be ridden by Jason Collett, was an acceptor in an 1100m juvenile event at Rosehill Gardens last weekend but was saved for another week to be stretched over more ground. 'We put him in an 1100m last week because we thought it's going to be a wet track, it's going to be a tough ask but I think 1400m suits him better,' Waller said. 'We think he is good enough to get to a Group 3 kind of horse so you'd expect him to keep improving and getting.' • ATC chairman resigns over Rosehill sale 'lost opportunity' Kokatahi, a son of 2020 Golden Slipper winner Farnan, was only having his first start against his stablemates last month and is expected to relish the added trip of Saturday's assignment. 'He's drawn well (barrier five) and 1400m will suit him a lot better,' Waller said. 'I would like to see horses like him come out and say he's a Gloaming Stakes, Spring Champion Stakes horse or we give him a bit more time and you go down the Carbine Club route. 'That's where I am thinking with horses like him. 'He is a bigger, stronger mile type so we are expecting some good things.' Waller is a strong chance of book ending the Sydney card with last start winner Changing Colours ($4 favourite) to go in search of back-to-back victories in the Precise Air Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) with Collett aboard. Changing Colours started her preparation with four consecutive city placings in Melbourne before coming back to Waller's home track and excelling with an emphatic win on June 28. Waller tossed up stepping up Changing Colours over more ground but has elected to keep the mare over 1400m. • Schiller awaits all clear to return from injury 'She could have run in the mile race against the boys or an 1800m race and we will try her over those distances, at least 1800m,' he said. 'But I don't want to fall into the trap that she's by The Autumn Sun and will need further because they are actually quite sharp horses. 'It's the same distance and same kind of race she won last start when she won with a bit in hand from a wide draw going back. 'This start she has a bit more weight from a good draw so it's the perfect race for her.' Waller, who has had a record 19 Group 1 winners for the campaign, will have a typically competitive hand across the Randwick card. Canpikapony ($41) will hunt consecutive wins in the Petaluma Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) while Misterkipchoge ($6) and Bright Red ($8.50) line up in the Toyota Forklifts Benchmark 78 (1800m). Age Of Kings ($23), Kirkeby ($15), Canberra Legend ($41) and Pippie Beach ($3.20) are all in the Eremein Benchmark 88 Handicap (1800m) while Travolta ($31) contests the Asahi Super Dry Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m). Originally published as Chris Waller juveniles Crossbow, Kokatahi to join Changing Colours at Royal Randwick on Saturday
Sydney Morning Herald
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Rory Hutchings fit and focused on positives of ‘brain snap' ban
Jockey Rory Hutchings is keen to repay the faith of top trainer Chris Waller at Rosehill on Saturday after returning from a one-month suspension for improper conduct and trying to cheat the scales in what he described as a 'brain snap' moment. A three-time New Zealand champion apprentice, Hutchings had three rides for Waller without a win at his first meeting back, at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, and he has two – Barking Mad (race one) and Seafall (seven) – for him on Saturday. He also has the job on Elouyou for Victorian trainer Scott Cameron in the eighth. Hutchings was suspended for an incident on May 24 at Randwick when he attempted to weigh out pre-race for a ride on the Waller-trained Providence without his mandatory safety vest on. When caught by clerk of scales David Sylvester, Hutchings used the words, 'I'll look after you'. In the stewards inquiry, Hutchings pleaded guilty to a charge of trying to weigh out without the vest in an attempt to make the allotted weight, saying it was a 'brain snap'. He pleaded not guilty to an improper conduct charge in relation to his comments, saying how it was interpreted was not what he intended, but stewards found him guilty. Hutchings, 30, told stewards he struggled with his weight after being flooded in at his home in the lead-up. He was also under financial pressure after a three-month lay-off with a broken collarbone from a fall in New Zealand. Preparing for Saturday's chances, he said he regretted trying to come back too early. 'I live on the Central Coast and it was when we had all that rain, and there was only one road in and out, so we were in there for a couple of days,' said Hutchings, who has been based in Australia for 10 years. 'I might have come back a little bit soon, and I was trying to ride a little bit lighter at the same time, but the suspension I got, to take some positives out of it, I rode work every single day, got fit and got the weight down, and I rode my minimum, 56 [kilograms], first ride back on Wednesday.
The Age
04-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Rory Hutchings fit and focused on positives of ‘brain snap' ban
Jockey Rory Hutchings is keen to repay the faith of top trainer Chris Waller at Rosehill on Saturday after returning from a one-month suspension for improper conduct and trying to cheat the scales in what he described as a 'brain snap' moment. A three-time New Zealand champion apprentice, Hutchings had three rides for Waller without a win at his first meeting back, at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, and he has two – Barking Mad (race one) and Seafall (seven) – for him on Saturday. He also has the job on Elouyou for Victorian trainer Scott Cameron in the eighth. Hutchings was suspended for an incident on May 24 at Randwick when he attempted to weigh out pre-race for a ride on the Waller-trained Providence without his mandatory safety vest on. When caught by clerk of scales David Sylvester, Hutchings used the words, 'I'll look after you'. In the stewards inquiry, Hutchings pleaded guilty to a charge of trying to weigh out without the vest in an attempt to make the allotted weight, saying it was a 'brain snap'. He pleaded not guilty to an improper conduct charge in relation to his comments, saying how it was interpreted was not what he intended, but stewards found him guilty. Hutchings, 30, told stewards he struggled with his weight after being flooded in at his home in the lead-up. He was also under financial pressure after a three-month lay-off with a broken collarbone from a fall in New Zealand. Preparing for Saturday's chances, he said he regretted trying to come back too early. 'I live on the Central Coast and it was when we had all that rain, and there was only one road in and out, so we were in there for a couple of days,' said Hutchings, who has been based in Australia for 10 years. 'I might have come back a little bit soon, and I was trying to ride a little bit lighter at the same time, but the suspension I got, to take some positives out of it, I rode work every single day, got fit and got the weight down, and I rode my minimum, 56 [kilograms], first ride back on Wednesday.
Sydney Morning Herald
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘He's a real horseman': Waller ‘honoured' to give veteran jockey city chances
Veteran jockey Jeff Penza is content riding on the provincial and country circuits, but when Chris Waller calls needing someone to fill the void in town, he answers. And Waller says it's an honour to give the 55-year-old opportunities. Penza will make a rare trip to a Saturday metropolitan meeting to partner up to six Waller-trained runners, including WJ McKell Cup chance Je Zous, on the 10-race card at Rosehill. 'I'd struggle to get seven rides at the provincials on a Saturday, so very happy,' said Penza, who was down for seven Waller rides before Chica Mojito was scratched on Thursday. 'I don't do a lot of trackwork for him, but I always fill the gaps when they need me to. If they ring me up the night before and ask me to do trackwork, I'm always going to say yes. 'We go back a long, long way. I'm pretty sure I was riding for him when he first came over from New Zealand [in 2000], so he's very supportive and I appreciate it very much.' Penza rides consistently for Waller at provincial meetings, but he has enjoyed success with the premier Sydney stable at higher levels, including with long-shot Summer Flame just last month in the listed Denise's Joy Stakes at Scone. Waller said there were 'lots of options, but we had no hesitation going to Jeff' for Saturday's runners. 'He's a credit to himself and his family, how fit he keeps himself, and he's a real horseman,' said Waller, who will win a 15th consecutive Sydney trainers premiership.
The Age
26-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘He's a real horseman': Waller ‘honoured' to give veteran jockey city chances
Veteran jockey Jeff Penza is content riding on the provincial and country circuits, but when Chris Waller calls needing someone to fill the void in town, he answers. And Waller says it's an honour to give the 55-year-old opportunities. Penza will make a rare trip to a Saturday metropolitan meeting to partner up to six Waller-trained runners, including WJ McKell Cup chance Je Zous, on the 10-race card at Rosehill. 'I'd struggle to get seven rides at the provincials on a Saturday, so very happy,' said Penza, who was down for seven Waller rides before Chica Mojito was scratched on Thursday. 'I don't do a lot of trackwork for him, but I always fill the gaps when they need me to. If they ring me up the night before and ask me to do trackwork, I'm always going to say yes. 'We go back a long, long way. I'm pretty sure I was riding for him when he first came over from New Zealand [in 2000], so he's very supportive and I appreciate it very much.' Penza rides consistently for Waller at provincial meetings, but he has enjoyed success with the premier Sydney stable at higher levels, including with long-shot Summer Flame just last month in the listed Denise's Joy Stakes at Scone. Waller said there were 'lots of options, but we had no hesitation going to Jeff' for Saturday's runners. 'He's a credit to himself and his family, how fit he keeps himself, and he's a real horseman,' said Waller, who will win a 15th consecutive Sydney trainers premiership.
