Premiership winning trainer Chris Waller is finding it hard to split his three runners in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Lean Mean Machine, above, is one of 3 runners from the Chris Waller stable in the 2018 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Waller will saddle up Lean Mean Machine, The Autumn Sun and Zousain with the three colts coming up with barriers from the inside to the outside.
“We expect all three to run well. We are blessed to have three very good colts,” Waller said.
Lean Mean Machine has drawn just worse than midfield at barrier seven in the ten horse Golden Rose Stakes field with Tye Angland in the saddle again after the pair combined for a first up win in the Group 2 $200,000 The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on September 8 on a heavy track.
Waller can’t fault Lean Mean Machine who he said is living up to his name and looks in great order.
“He looks exactly as his name suggests. He looks fantastic,” Waller said.
“A very clean winded horse, his work has been good. He hasn’t done anything wrong in his racing prep. He gets bad draws and still runs well.”
“Last start he got a long way back and nailed them.”
“I don’t think the better track will worry him at all. We are expecting a Good 3 or a Good 4 track on Saturday, gate seven, should get a lovely run and finishing off strongly.”
Waller has decide to put the blinkers on The Autumn Sun following the colt’s unlucky third in the Group 2 $200,000 The Daily Telegraph Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on September 8.
“Unbelievably unlucky last start. That’s racing and he will appreciate getting back onto a better track as well on Saturday.”
“We have put the blinkers on just to try to give him a little bit of tactical speed from the barriers. As the draws worked out we probably don’t need them but he’s got them on.”
Kerrin McEvoy rides The Autumn Sun again and Waller is not concerned that the Redoute’s Choice colt will jump from the outside gate.
“Not too concerned about the draw at all. He is a horse that will appreciate a bit of room. He has an amazing stride on him and his work has been good,” Waller said.
“I think he is going to be very hard to beat.”
Zousain is the last of the stable’s three Golden Rose Stakes runners and Waller can see the Zoustar colt getting the run of the race from the inside gate back on a good track.
James McDonald get the ride again on Zousain after they combined for a last start fourth to stablemate Lean Mean Machine in The Run To The Rose.
“With the draw it is going to enable James to get cover, switch off and hopefully get the run of the race and he will really appreciate a better track on Saturday,” Waller said.
“His work was first class on Tuesday morning and we expect him to run well.”
“Very good horse, will be very hard to beat but (the Golden Rose) is a genuine Group 1 stallion making race.”
The Run To The Rose runner up Graff is the early favourite for the Golden Rose Stakes at $3.30 with Ladbrokes.com.au and will jump from gate four with Jason Collett in the saddle again.
The three Waller runners are next in the betting with The Autumn Sun marked at $4, Lean Mean Machine at $5.50 and Zousain at $7.50
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