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Chris Waller has the Queensland Guineas in his crosshairs after improving three-year-old Kolding toyed with his rivals in an emphatic Randwick win on Saturday.
The son of Ocean Park showed why Waller holds him in such high regard as he coasted to his third consecutive metropolitan victory in the Candana Bathroom Ware Benchmark 78 Handicap (1500m).
Kolding ($2.30) surged to a 1-3/4 length win over Quackerjack ($3.80), with Galapagos ($61) 2-1/4 lengths back in third.
“It was obviously a very game win,” Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth said.
“He got the run of the race and pealed off at the right time. The one to beat was the leader and he showed a good turn of foot once more.
“He will continue to step up in grade and I am sure he will make that grade.”
Quackerjack enjoyed an uncontested lead, but Jason Collett was able to enjoy a charmed run in the box seat on Kolding.
He came off the leader’s back at the top of the straight and proved far too strong in the finish.
“We had a very soft run and got all the favours tracking up inside them but when I asked him to go, go he did,” Collett said.
“He’s a nice horse going forward and the mile won’t be a problem.”
Duckworth confirmed Kolding would head towards the Guineas at Eagle Farm in a fortnight’s time and was adamant he would relish his first attempt at the mile.
“He just doesn’t spend a penny in the middle stages,” he said. “He just has to sprint for 500m and he is too sharp for them it seems.
“We always thought he was a really good horse.
‘On debut when we sent him to the provincials, we thought he was going to be an absolute steering job first up.
“He got caught wide, over raced and basically spent that entire preparation trying to relax and switch off.
“In hindsight we were probably too aggressive on him but now he is a gelding he is basically proving that we were right about the ability he holds.”
Kolding’s three successive wins have come since being gelded. – Racenet.com.au