Chris Waller, the esteemed trainer, has indicated that a dual celebration is on the cards should Soulcombe claim victory in the upcoming Bendigo Cup.
Achieving a win, or even a top-three finish, in Wednesday’s Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) would provide Soulcombe with a starting position in the prestigious Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday.
For jockey Nash Rawiller, a victory would hold profound personal significance as he aims to secure his second Bendigo Cup title. He previously won the race in 2000 aboard Yammer for Tony Noonan. Rawiller, a former Bendigo resident now based in Sydney, has enjoyed considerable success on the international racing circuit.
Waller is confident that Rawiller will dedicate his full attention to securing a second Bendigo Cup success. “Nash was very keen to come down for the Bendigo Cup, and he said to us a couple of weeks ago, ‘try and find something with my weight for the Bendigo Cup’,” Waller stated. “As it’s worked out, Soulcombe is there and I think it would mean more to Nash than anyone if Soulcombe could win. (I’m sure) he’ll even bring the kitchen sink down.”
Soulcombe’s return to competitive racing has been an arduous one, following an absence of close to three years due to tendon problems. He previously finished second to Without A Fight in the 2023 Melbourne Cup and did not race again until August 29 at Caulfield, where he finished unplaced behind the subsequent Caulfield Cup winner, Kingswood.
Waller has noted a progressive improvement in Soulcombe’s condition. If the stayer manages a top-three finish and earns a Melbourne Cup berth, he will participate next Tuesday. “He’s very fit. He hasn’t had a lot of luck in his last two runs,” Waller explained. “The key was getting him back from the tendon issue. It’s been gradual, small steps. We had a couple of attempts, they failed, but he’s finally back and as a result was a little bit softer than what we would have liked first and second up. He’s gradually found that fitness, so there’s a sense of timing there, but we’ll just watch and see, but if he finishes top three, he will run.”
Soulcombe’s recent form includes a seventh placing behind stablemate Pinhole in the Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield on October 10, and a sixth in the Geelong Cup (2400m) last week, trailing Point Of Law. Soulcombe is currently a $12 chance in the Bendigo Cup markets, with Kings Valley the leading $2.90 favourite. Explore betting markets for the race at your preferred sports betting platform.