Waller has spring in his step as his stars start to return
By Chris Roots
Premier trainer Chris Waller is excited to start the new season at Tuesday’s Canterbury barrier trials in the unusual position of having three-year-olds Shinzo and Militarize as the clear benchmarks of their generation.
It will be the first time Shinzo has been seen in action since his dominant Golden Slipper win in March. On Saturday, Waller sent him out for a gallop with the Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes winner Militarize, who will also have his first trial at Canterbury.
Golden Slipper winner Shinzo returns at the Canterbury barrier trials on Tuesday.Credit: Getty
“They are pretty good. They galloped together [Saturday] morning and going out onto the track I was nervous,” Waller said. “You’ve got that spring feeling, it’s a good feeling to have.
“I haven’t had it for a little while but the horses we’ve got in our stable this year are giving me that feeling.”
It is the three-year-old team that has Waller most excited, with Sunlight’s brother Kandinsky Abstract, Political Debate and Lazzago among those heading to Canterbury on Tuesday.
“We’re [normally] always playing catch-up with our three-year-olds,” Waller said. “It’s usually a late Queensland horse that you hope is going to measure up. We’ve never had the proven ones or the horses behind them to back them up like this year.”
Waller has 34 triallers at Canterbury headed by Shinzo in the opening heat, where he meets three group 1 winning stablemates - Montefilia, Madame Pommery and Lindermann.
Militarize is in the third heat, while Fangirl and Victoria Derby winner Manzoice have their second trials on Tuesday as they head to the Winx Stakes.
“The second triallists will do a bit more than the first ones, who will have a poke around,” Waller said.
Lloyd targets another apprentices title
Zac Lloyd with his mum Nicola and dad Jeff after securing the Sydney apprentices title on Saturday.Credit: Getty
Sydney’s champion apprentice Zac Lloyd will continue in his indentures at Godolphin for at least next season after their support helped him see off Dylan Gibbons for the junior rider title.
Lloyd, who finished second on the Sydney jockeys’ premiership behind James McDonald, will turn 20 next month and is still improving. His twin goals for the coming season are to stay out of the stewards’ room and ride a group 1 winner.
The teenager has had a stack of support from former champion jockeys Darren Beadman and his father Jeff, who spent the past six weeks in Sydney as the pressure built to win the title.
“My dad has been down here the last month just to help me out with the essentials like cooking and cleaning, which I am not very good at,” Lloyd said.
“[My parents] have been really good to me - my mum [Nicola] is obviously here. She is a massive stress head and has been very nervous the last couple of weeks.
“I am really happy to do it for my family. My dad was obviously a very good jockey, so it’s good to follow in his footsteps.”
Five more wins will see Lloyd lose his claim, but he would still be favourite to win the apprentice crown again.
“I will be giving it my best shot [to win next year]. I will be staying in my time, obviously, until I am out in November [2024], so straight back into it on Wednesday,” he said. “There’s still a lot to achieve in this game and I am very excited by the journey.”
Maher and Eustace set to double Sydney team again
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace will finish season 2022-23 with the most winners of any trainers in the country, and are set to expand their Sydney operation further next season.
The Warwick Farm stable doubled in size from 18 to 40 horses this season and with the addition of Bong Bong Farm at Bowral, Maher believes he will eventually have 80 horses in work in Sydney.
“We are getting towards the same set-up we have in Victoria, so we will have more horses up here next season,” Maher said. “It’s where our stable can grow.
“We have had a great season, with a Melbourne Cup from Gold Trip and 10 group 1 wins. It’s a real team effort, we have 220 staff and it’s their one-percenters that make the difference and get us the great results.”
Maher and Eustace are likely to be big movers on the trainers’ standings next season, along with Annabel Neasham, whose big team has clicked into gear in the last quarter of the season. However it is unlikely to be enough to challenge Waller’s reign as champion trainer after his 13th premiership was confirmed on Saturday.
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