Chris Waller admits he has felt the weight of expectation with Wodeton ever since the colt first stepped onto the track — and that pressure only intensifies heading into Saturday’s $3 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
The $1.6 million Magic Millions yearling has long carried lofty ambitions. While he has yet to add another win to his debut success, Wodeton has finished runner-up in both the Golden Slipper and Golden Rose — results that have already made him one of the most valuable stallion prospects in Australia.
His pedigree became even more precious following the recent death of his sire, Wootton Bassett, at Coolmore Stud, further raising the stakes ahead of the Guineas. But Waller insists he’s not letting the added significance alter his approach. “It doesn’t change the way I train him,” Waller said. “Obviously it would be a fantastic result, but you can’t change things. We’re under pressure to get winners 52 weeks of the year, so there’s no change just because his stallion died.”
Waller, who is also a part-owner of Wodeton, is chasing consecutive Caulfield Guineas victories for Coolmore after Private Life’s upset win last year. That colt now stands at Coolmore for $19,250, but Wodeton’s value could soar well beyond that should he claim Group 1 success.
“We had to decide whether to come back to the Coolmore distance (1200m), or even run in The Everest, or run him here and I just think he deserves a chance at a mile,” Waller said. “Timing-wise, it’s the right race and the beauty of the Wootton Bassett stock is they can run any distance — they’re not one dimensional. Getting him out to a mile might just find that extra gear.”
Wodeton shares the top line of betting with stablemate Autumn Boy, who also holds special significance for Waller as a son of The Autumn Sun — a horse he trained to win the Caulfield Guineas in 2018. “He’s a lovely-moving horse, a great type, great attitude. (They’re) very similar,” Waller said.
Autumn Boy’s last-start seventh in the Golden Rose was his first unplaced run in four starts, though he endured a wide trip in an on-pace dominated race. “The Golden Rose wasn’t run to suit,” Waller said. “He looked a bit plain, but when you look at the sectional times in a track record-run race, he was good and he’ll definitely appreciate the mile.”
Autumn Boy will jump from barrier one, while Wodeton has drawn gate 10 but will move to eight if emergencies are withdrawn. James McDonald rides Wodeton, while Damian Lane — successful aboard Private Life last year — takes the reins on Autumn Boy.
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