Group 1 double would see Chris Waller shout the bar at Randwick

Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller has promised to “shout the public bar” on course if he can train two Group 1 winners at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

During the stable’s weekly preview for social media, Waller was challenged by assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth to make the pledge and the trainer confirmed he would buy the public a round of drinks if he can win at least two of the four majors on Day One of The Championships.

Waller has a strong hand in the four Group 1 races including champion sprinter Nature Strip in the $3 million Furphy TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).

His other Group 1 runners are Fangirl, Going Global, Zougotcha, Lindermann and Osipenko in the $4 million The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m), Manzoice in the $2 million ATC Australian Derby (2400m) and Militarize in the $1 million Inglis Sires (1400m).

Nature Strip is attempting to win the TJ Smith for the fourth successive year and Waller said the track rating of soft 5 and barrier seven suits the big chestnut.

“I’d prefer a Good 4 or worse track as since Nature Strip has got a bit older he does feel the firmer tracks,” Waller said. “The way it is shaping the track should be perfect for him

“Barrier 7 is a good draw. He is more versatile now and we have more control of him.

“We just don’t want to be setting it up for those out the back. If the others want to go too hard we won’t fall into that trap again.

“I think that happened in The Everest last year when we ran his race upside down so we are mindful of that.”

TAB Fixed Odds betting for the TJ Smith Stakes has Nature Strip is a solid second favourite at $5.50 behind The Everest winner Giga Kick at $4.40.

THE BEST BARRIERS

The best barriers at Royal Randwick for the last 3 years (in order of wins)

1100m: 3,4,6,2

1200m: 6,7,5,4

1400m: 2,1,7,3

1600m; 3,2,5,1

2000m: 2,1,5,6

2400m: 2,4,1,3

2600m: 3,1,6,7

THE BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS

Race 1: Barber $6-$4.20, Libertad $6-$3.90 with bets of $1,500 e/w at $4/$1.80

Race 2: Glint Of Silver $8-$5, Wolverine $15-$7, Gan Teorainn $11-$6

Race 3: Asterix $31-$26, Benaud $9.50-$7

Race 4: Sequestered $2.30-$2.25 with a bet of $2,250 at $2.30

Race 5: Our Last Cash $34-$19, Kimberley Secrets $8-$7.50

Race 6: Cylinder $2.80-$2.25 after bets of $1,000 at $2.80, $2,000 at $2.30 twice, $1,000 at $2.30, $3,500 at $2.20, $2,000 at $2.20 twice, $4,700 at $2.10, Veight $8-$5.50, Disneck $101-$71, Butch Cassidy $51-$26

Race 7: Lost And Running $26-$16, I Wish I Win $11-$7 with bets of $10,000 at $11, $1,000 e/w at $9/$2.90, Lofty Strike $26-$21, In Secret $6-$5.50 after bets of $1,000 at $6, $500 at $6, $500 at $5.50 multiple times

Race 8: Mr Brightside $6-$5.50 after bets of $3,000 at $5.50, $5,000 at $5, $2,000 at $5, $1,000 e/w at $5/$2, Converge $15-$11 with bets of $500 at $11 multiple times, Gentleman Roy $51-$21, Golden Mile $26-$16

Race 9: Sharp N Smart $3.20-$3.40 with a bet of $55,000 at $3.50 and $4,000 at $3, Pericles $6-$4, Japanese Emperor $26-$14

Race 10: Opal Ridge $2.60-$2.30 with a bet of $2,250 at $2.60, Magic Time $10-$7.50, Russian Conquest $17-$13

EARLY QUADDIE

Race 3: 1,9,10,13

Race 4: 2,3

Race 5: 1,4,5,15

Race 6: 1,2,4,5

QUADDIE

Race 7: 1,4,10,15

Race 8: 1,2,5,12

Race 9: 1,2,4,8

Race 10: 1,2

PRICE CHECK

Sharp ‘N’ Smart (race 9) has eased slightly in Derby betting from $3.20 to $3.40 favourite despite a monstrous bet of $55,000 at $3.50. There was also a $4,000 wager at $3. Godolphin colt Cylinder (race 6) has been backed as if unbeatable in the Sires including bets of $2,000 at $2.30 twice, $3,500 at $2.20, $2,000 at $2.20 twice and $4,700 at $2.10.

TRIAL POINTERS

Sequestered (race 4) aims to keep the Adrian Knox trophy in the Cummings family for the fourth straight year. James Cummings with Colette and Honeycreeper respectively on either side of brother Edward’s win with the Duais. Both siblings are involved in the 2023 Adrian Knox, Edward saddles-up the Newhaven Park-bred Arts, while James and Godolphin’s chances rest ably with the Pierro filly Sequestered who has trialled brilliantly in the wake of her back-to-back wins at Hawkesbury.

Duke De Sessa (race 8) is an Irish-bred son of the short-term shuttle sire, Lope De Vega, the French 1000 Guineas and French Derby winner who is now ranked among the top stallions in Europe. That is reflected in his 175,000 euros service fee which equates to approximately AUD$285,000. As for this Maher/Eustace-trained import, he will make his Australian debut in the Doncaster Mile off the back of a seriously impressive trial win at Warwick Farm on March 17.

SECTIONAL STARS

Destructive Diva (race 1) is trained in the nation’s capital by Norm Gardner who bred this daughter of Smart Missile by mating her to his former handy mare Atom Eve who was a dual Highway winner back in 2016 and was in fact, a winner of half of her 10 starts. As for Destructive Diva, she started at $20 when she made her debut at her home track on March 13. Gardner’s filly looked a 100/1 chance into the straight yet unleashed a truly amazing burst of acceleration to finish over the top of her rivals.

Giga Kick (race 9) won his first five starts, starting off in a Sale Maiden (by four lengths on Feb 13). Then fast forward to October 15 and the Clayton Douglas collected close to $7 million by virtue of his win in The Everest. Giga Kick suffered a rare defeat when he resumed in the Challenge Stakes at Royal Randwick on March 4 but galloped away with his reputation intact, if not enhanced, given the scale of the performance.

BEST BET

Opal Ridge (race 10) is going to be popular with punters in the final race, the PJ Bell Stakes. She was superb when resuming at Rosehill coming from last on the turn with a storming run through the ruck to race away with the Darby Munro Stakes. Her acceleration was exceptional that day and she will only strip fitter for the run. Talented filly who can keep winning.

VALUE BET

Raging Bull (race 3) has steadily improved with racing this campaign and appreciated getting out in trip last start when he finished strongly wide out to just miss overhauling Timour in the Manion Cup. Raging Bull will appreciate going out to 2600m and is at generous each-way odds of $19 for the Chairman’s Quality.

THE JUDGEMENT

ROYAL RANDWICK

R7: TJ Smith Stakes (1200m)

Richard Haynes (TAB): “This is an ‘Autumn Everest’. An amazing field of sprinters come together and I’m with a horse that has continued to trim up in the TAB market all week, I Wish I Win. The wide barrier will force him to settle towards the rear of the field, and I can see him steaming up the middle of Randwick and being very hard to hold out. Giga Kick will likely be making his run with I Wish I Win. Mazu returns to his home track and the scene of his The Everest third placing, he’ll get all the favours from his inside draw and appeals as the value in the race. In Secret is simply outstanding.”

Glenn Munsie (Sky Racing): “A field of 15 having amassed close to $65m in prizemoney throughout their careers with six of the first eight across the line in last year’s TAB Everest. Have to be with Giga Kick as he should have the most improvement in him from the Challenge first up. Nothing found the line better than he did and 1200m suits him much better. Private Eye next pick.”

Grant Palmer (bookie): “Giga Kick’s first up run in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes was outstanding and he goes on top for mine. The speed will be on and Zac Purton should be able to find a spot in the run before flying over the top of them. There has been a solid move for Passive Aggressive who opened at $18 earlier in the week but currently sits around the $12 mark. She will sit on the pace and prove hard to get past.”

Michael Sullivan (bookie): “Track pattern crucial here but they should still get along. I really like the chances of I Wish I Win back around a bend. Think he tags Giga Kick or Lofty Strike in the run and gets last look. Slight firm early $9-$7.50. Giga Kick has been easy $3.50-$4.40 and getting to his right price. The champ Nature Strip firm at $5.50 but happy to lay him.”

Hamish Ferguson (TAB): “Giga Kick will start favourite despite easing in betting over the last couple of days. The TAB Everest winner has been the best backed runner in the TJ Smith to date. The Peter Moody-trained I Wish I Win is the next best backed at $7 and looks a decent chance at juicy odds. TAB punters are wary of Nature Strip, with the champion only the fourth best backed runner.”

Verdict: Giga Kick

R8: Doncaster Mile (1600m)

Richard Haynes (TAB): “I like double figures on offer for Protagonist. I love the 2000m back to 1600m set up, Zeyrek has made that Sky High Stakes form look solid in recent times. He won’t know himself with 50kg. Last year’s winner Mr Brightside comes here this year in arguably better form, he was terrific in winning last start and should get a beautiful run from his draw. Osipenko gains a start here and the stable appear bullish on his chances. He’s an exciting three-year-old on the way up. Lion’s Roar is the forgotten horse of the race.”

Glenn Munsie (Sky Racing): “A great ‘Donny’ chock-full of chances. Osipenko gets a run now and he is right in this from barrier 1. He had a setback and four weeks between runs when solid in the George Ryder and he didn’t disgrace himself. Drops 6kg and just looks to be the one to bury away behind speed doping no work in the run.”

Grant Palmer (bookie): “Mr Brightside returns to defend his crown and he is a deserved favourite after winning the All Star Mile last start. He carries 5kg more than last year but he gets the services of Zac Purton and is in arguably better form this time around. He goes on top from Converge who looks set to peak third up. There has been an interesting move for Golden Mile at huge odds, but I can’t have him off his last run.”

Michael Sullivan (bookie): “Fantastic Doncaster with a host of chances. Fangirl absolutely flying and if the lanes are in play, I want her on my side. Bandersnatch went like a rocket last week and I like him on the quick back up at $21. Converge comfortably the best backed early $15-$11 but now in some doubt. Gentleman Roy $51-$26 and Osipenko, now with a start, has also attracted attention $13-$11.”

Hamish Ferguson (TAB): “Can Mr Brightside go back-to-back in the Doncaster? TAB punters believe so, with the Hayes-trained runner being the best backed starter to date accounting for over 21 per cent of the hold. Fangirl is the next best supported with TAB, while fan favourite Alligator Blood has also seen some specking at double figure odds.”

Verdict: Mr Brightside

R9: ATC Australian Derby (2400m)

Richard Haynes (TAB): “Sharp ‘N’ Smart is the favourite and I think he’ll justify it by taking out the blue riband. Hugh Bowman reunites with a horse he knows well (think Spring Champion Stakes), he only has to navigate a potentially tricky barrier but I feel he is the class of the race. Fourth in Sharp ‘N’ Smart’s New Zealand Derby was Mark Twain, he’s a lightly race type and looks to be going in the right direction, I’m always wary when the Moroney stable appear in these races and Japanese Emperor is absolutely flying. Pericles is obviously a very smart three-year-old.”

Glenn Munsie (Sky Racing): “Stroke Of Luck had none of it last week so if you were on him there you have to stick here at $18. If he had clear running would have won and been around a $5 chance but instead you are getting more than four times that price so surely worth a speck.”

Grant Palmer (bookie): “Sharp ‘N’ Smart has six wins and four seconds in 11 career starts and he will start favourite off the back of his NZ Derby victory. He will have to contend with barrier 17 but Hugh Bowman takes the ride and he does look hard to beat. Manzoice and Japanese Emperor both look over the odds around the double figure mark and I will be keeping both of them safe.”

Michael Sullivan (bookie): “With luck in running, I think he’ll win Sharp ‘N’ Smart. The local crop looks limited, and he’s proved the best from NZ. The draw has seen him ease slightly $3.00-$3.50 but I’d expect the money to come on the day. Away from the favourite, Japanese Emperor has been a good spec at $26, now $13.”

Hamish Ferguson (TAB): “It’s a one-horse race according to TAB punters with Sharp ‘N’ Smart being absolutely smashed in betting, accounting for 63 per cent of all investments on the Derby. The Stephen Marsh-trained Andalus has had some support at long odds after the trainer was able to engage leading jockey Zac Purton for the ride.”