Keeping colts focused on racing presents a significant challenge, making Chris Waller’s success in bringing five of them to the Group 1 Golden Rose a considerable accomplishment. The champion trainer’s contenders for Saturday’s stallion-making race are Campione D’italia, Tron Bolt, St Gotthard, Stormy Marco, and Central Europe, all of whom he describes as well-mannered and focused three-year-olds.
Waller attributes his horses’ performance not only to housing colts separately from fillies and mares but also to his staff’s expertise in keeping them content and stress-free, which he believes allows them to race at their best.
“They’re absolute gentlemen,” Waller said of his five Golden Rose contenders. “I’m going to give my team a wrap because it’s how they handle them, how they ride them, how they look after them. And I think it’s their ability as well, the horses. But if they’re not under pressure they’re enjoying life, and they’re not under pressure.”
St Gotthard is the current market favourite among Waller’s Golden Rose (1400m) squad at $4, coming off his first defeat in three starts when narrowly beaten by Saturday rival Warwoven in the Run To The Rose (1200m).
James McDonald retains the ride, and Waller is confident the full brother to young sire Switzerland will handle the 1400m distance. “His first-up run was good. James was very pleased, so that gave us the confidence to press onto this race,” he commented. “The 1400 metres should be no problem. He relaxes well. He’s still learning. First-up he did a few little things wrong but once he irons them out, he’s a very good horse.”
Along with Castillo King, St Gotthard is one of the least experienced runners in the Rosehill feature. Waller suggests this inexperience can also signal untapped potential. “In my opinion, he’s still got upside as well. A lot of the horses he’ll be racing may have plateaued, where he is still on the up,” Waller noted. “So, while I see negatives with inexperience, I see a lot of positive things with him still improving.”
While ten of the last 14 Golden Rose winners progressed through the Run To The Rose, Waller has opted for alternative paths for Campione D’italia and Stormy Marco. Stormy Marco finished second in the Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) first-up, conceding weight to winner Persian Wonder. Waller sees similarities to the preparation of his 2018 Golden Rose winner, The Autumn Sun, who was also defeated in his lead-up race, the then-named Stan Fox Stakes (1500m).
“The Autumn Sun came out of that type of race,” Waller recalled. “It was a distance he (Stormy Marco) was competitive over and he just peaked on his run with fifty to go with the big weight.” Waller is aiming for his fifth Golden Rose victory and second in succession, following Beiwacht’s win 12 months ago.
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