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Source: racenet.com.au
“I haven’t had that feeling for a while.”
They were some of the first words champion trainer Chris Waller beamed after watching his explosive mare Autumn Glow grace the Rosehill turf in an exhibition gallop on Saturday.
The piece of 1000m work, where she covered the final 600m in 36.53, confirmed to Waller that the reigning Australian Horse of the Year is right on target for next Saturday’s Group 2 7 Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.
“I got a feeling I don’t get very often just watching her work then,” Waller said.
“It was quite exciting – like I needed to speak to someone about it so I got over to the strappers.
“You sense they are really going well but we don’t push the button much at home.
“It’s hard to quantify how much she’s come on from the Winx (Stakes) but talking to James (McDonald) he said she’s definitely improved with what he felt today.
“We are seven days out but I couldn’t be happier with where she’s at going into next week.”
While Autumn Glow is locked and loaded for the 7 Stakes en route to the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes on The Everest, which of her stablemates line-up in the $1m feature remains to be seen.
Three-time Group 1 winner Aeliana also stepped out for a 1000m hitout on Saturday, going five-seconds slower than Autumn Glow with a final 600m of 38.34.
The star mare captured plenty of headlines following her first-up Winx Stakes failure which crystallised a particular point for the champion conditioner.
“It’s really made me aware of how much of a following she has,” Waller said.
“The wash up is that she is fine.
“We took her back from the draw (in the Winx), they ran solid sections and for a stayer running solid sections and then asking her to quicken took her out of her comfort zone.
“I was encouraged by what Nash (Rawiller) said after the race.
“We went back thinking we were doing the right thing and it just didn’t give her a chance to compete.”
Waller plans to nominate Aeliana and last start Chelmsford Stakes hero Lindermann for next Saturday’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and Group 2 7 Stakes (1600m) before deciding on which course of action to take.
Zac Lloyd guided Aeliana in her exhibition gallop on Saturday with the work exactly what Waller wanted to see.
“She’s very forward,” he said.
“If she’s going to run over a mile we want to keep her sharp so I didn’t want her to do too much (today).
“And Lindermann will be in the same boat as Aeliana and nominated for Sydney and Melbourne.
“It would be exciting to run him in a Group 1 (Underwood) but the 7 Stakes is still worth a lot of money as a gelding.”
Next Saturday’s Royal Randwick meeting will also feature The Group 2 Shorts (1100m) in what will serve as another The Everest audition.
The race will see Waller’s prolific Group 1 winning mare Joliestar return to defend her title after doing Australia proud when a close up third at Royal Ascot in June.
Waller said two trials have brought the 10-time winner on for her spring return where she’ll be joined by Joker’s Grin.
The former WA galloper has had a few false starts since transferring to Sydney but Waller is confident he’s ready to rip in The Shorts.
“So far so good,” he said.
“We had a few issues with his feet and things like that but his general health has been really good this preparation and I’m getting some good feedback from his riders in the morning.
“Adam Hyeronimus is booked for him.
“Jockeys are sort of here, there and everywhere at the moment and we thought with James on Joliestar we’ll try and get a consistent rider and Adam’s been on the wrong end of the stick a few times lately so we thought we’d go with him.”
When quizzed on what he wants to see from Joliestar first up in The Shorts?
“Just that she’s come back – it’s a long, long trek to the UK and back,” Waller said.
“We did it with Nature Strip and I think he was very impressive first up so Saturday is just a matter of seeing her come back.”