Zougotcha steps out of the Shadows

Chris Waller remains comfortable with his decision to scratch Zougotcha from the Group 1 Coolmore Classic despite the filly scoring an impressive win on the Rosehill under card. The three-year-old was withdrawn from Saturday's feature race due to a wide barrier, instead going around in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) where she justified her…

Gun filly Kimochi confirmed her status as a genuine Group 1 contender on Saturday at Royal Randwick, now Gary Portelli is hoping two more of his youngsters can lay down a spring marker in this week's Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m). The Warwick Farm trainer is planning on launching a two-pronged attack with Kintyre and Encap in one of two…

Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller admits that group 1 racing drives him these days as he enters the prime of his career and confesses to feeling strangely anxious heading into the first group 1 of the season at Randwick on Saturday. It is not a feeling the champion trainer, who has been the leading group 1 trainer for the past 11 seasons, is…

Godolphin's No.1 The Everest seed In Secret could be on a collision course with ageless sprint stars Nature Strip and Eduardo when she makes her comeback in the Concorde Stakes early next month. Trainer James Cummings revealed his early spring carnival plans for glamour mare In Secret after her impressive barrier trial effort at Royal Randwick on…

Kovalica romped home in the Group 1 Queensland Derby for jockey James McDonald and trainer Chris Waller. Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography. Group 1 excitement machine Kovalica is the current Caulfield Cup favourite but connections have warned he is far from certain to race in the $5m spring staying test. Part-owner Neville Morgan insists…

Chris Waller will have up to seventeen runners at Rosehill, five of them Group 1 winners, but it is one horse that has him especially excited. When asked to nominate the galloper he is most looking forward to seeing on Saturday, Waller didn't hesitate to name Kovalica, who has the Epsom Handicap as his early-season target. "He's got X-factor,"…

Shinzo has the speed for The TAB Everest and Militarize the maturity to be competitive in weight-for-age races. Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller gave this upbeat assessment this week of his crack colts who cleaned up Sydney's coveted juvenile triple crown during the autumn carnival. Waller has had a sensational season with his two-year-old team in…

Two in-form milers are battling for top spot in Doncaster Mile 2023 betting this weekend in Sydney with the reigning champion Mr Brightside and the talented Chris Waller -trained mare Fangirl tipped to fight it out in the $4 million Royal Randwick showdown. The Championships Day 1 features four elite level autumn events led by the Group 1 Doncaster…

Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller has decided against starting champion Nature Strip in an official barrier trial as initially planned but has arranged a Rosehill course proper jumpout for the world's best sprinter on Tuesday morning. Nature Strip was entered for a 900m trial at Rosehill on Monday but Waller said the "inside grass is just a bit…

Punters just kept continuing to launch into Zougotcha ($1.50) for the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes and she justified the support with a dominant win over the 1500m. Trainer Chris Waller elected to take the easier option for connections, scratching from the Group 1 Coolmore Classic earlier in the week, seemingly paying dividends on Saturday. James…

Lightweight jockey Michael Dee produced a rail-hugging ride to win Chris Waller's first Coolmore Classic on Espiona and join the elite company of Hugh Bowman, Kerrin McEvoy and James McDonald for the trainer. Dee has won Waller's last three group 1s, starting with the Caulfield Cup on Durston, then the Victoria Derby on Manzoice before driving…

What do Bing Crosby and The Duff have in common? Apart from both being on the Tele, Bing and the Duff have cameo roles in the Zougotcha story. Of course the real stars, apart from the mare herself, is the Thompson family. The founders and still landlords of Australia's oldest stud, Widden, Zougotcha's family tree is almost as old as the nursery…

Sydney's superstar jockey James McDonald has dismissed speculation he is considering riding overseas long-term as he sets his sights on one of racing's most revered records. The champion jockey is in hot demand wherever he rides and could command a prized position in the northern hemisphere with a leading stable or jurisdiction. But although…

Imagine having won your fifth Group 1 earlier this month and then cheering as your wife pocketed the Group 1 Thousand Guineas on Wednesday. Now imagine you have a leading Caulfield Cup contender on Saturday. But you will instead be trackside at Randwick because you are in the ownership of Chris Waller's The Everest slot as Nature Strip aims to go…

Brisbane-based owner Noel Greenhalgh has a massive seven days ahead of him. Picture: Steve Holland. Imagine having won your fifth Group 1 earlier this month and then cheering as your wife pocketed the Group 1 Thousand Guineas on Wednesday. Now imagine you have a leading Caulfield Cup contender on Saturday. But you will instead be trackside at…

Chris Waller toyed with splitting fillies Zougotcha and Madame Pommery after they ran the quinella in the Tea Rose Stakes before deciding both deserved their chance at a Group 1 win. As a result, the pair will clash again in Saturday's Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, the final leg of the four-race Princess Series. While Zougotcha is a $3.40…

Zougotcha has been the early firmer with Ladbrokes.com.au for the Group l Flight Stakes (1600m) this Saturday at Randwick. The Chris Waller trained filly was a strong winner of the Tea Rose two weeks ago and looks primed for the 1600m assignment. Opened $3.10 and has been crunched, into $2.70. Fireburn opened the $2.70 favourite but with the…

Again, it's the royal blue of Godolphin that opens the Sydney Everest Carnival, and its Anamoe who's the $2.10 Ladbrokes favourite for the Fijutsu General George Main Stakes. Already launching the Sydney Spring with a'workable' 1½ length victory in the Winx Stakes, Anamoe was first up from a 19 week spell in this the first Group 1 of this new…

The past 12 months have been a period of'firsts' for trainer Chris Waller and he has achieved another one with Zougotcha's stunning win in the Flight Stakes. Having claimed his first Melbourne Cup with Verry Elleegant and first international major with Nature Strip at Royal Ascot, the champion horseman has now prepared his first Group 1 winner to…

The Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) has been won by most of the greats with Chris Waller dominating saluting in 10 of the last 12 years. Australia's current WFA champ Anamoe ($1.65 favourite in early all-in markets) tries to maintain his status with another major to add to his previous seven. He could face some of his vanquished from the Apollo…

Chris Waller says there may need to be a rematch between Home Affairs and Nature Strip after the stablemates ran the quinella in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington. Home Affairs ($7.50) under James Mcdonald held-off the $2.20 favourite Nature Strip (Jamie Kah) by a short-half-head at the end of the 1000m dash with Eduardo ($3.80) a further…