Irish Angel an example of The Everest’s impact

Irish Angel is unlikely to ever find herself in an Everest, but the mare is a shining example of how the race’s introduction has changed Chris Waller’s thinking.

The champion trainer has dominated Sydney racing for more than a decade, yet he continually searches for ways he can do things better.

Waller credited the implementation of the $15 million sprint in 2017 – which he has won twice with Yes Yes Yes (2019) and Nature Strip (2021) – for prompting a rethink on his training strategies.

“The introduction of The Everest made me concentrate more on sprinters,” Waller said.

“In the first two years of The Everest, we didn’t have a runner, but we could have five or six starters in the Doncaster.

“The mistake I would make was to push my horses out in distance too soon.

“We realised with Irish Angel that she is at her best over short distances, particularly when she is nice and fresh.”

Irish Angel ($3.20 fav) backed up that philosophy at Rosehill on Saturday, resuming with a dominant victory in the Elitegroup.Sydney Handicap (1100m).

The five-year-old cleared out by 2-3/4 lengths over Undeniable ($6) with Cloudy ($8) a long head away third.

While the tick over $60,000 that she banked for winning is a far cry from what connections collect for an Everest windfall, it is a significant payday, and Waller says that prizemoney carrot is enticing more people to race horses in Sydney.

“I speak to a lot of the leading trainers and owners around the world and everyone is aware of our racing,” Waller said.

“That is why we are seeing an influx of European horses coming here and it is a matter of time before we see horses from other countries being sent here.

“When you are getting a good bang for your dollar, people reinvest and that is what drives a huge economy.”

Irish Angel has blown them away in Race 5 and gives @cwallerracing a race-to-race double! pic.twitter.com/PC0lPlTg4i

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