chris waller | Horse Racing Free Tips

Irish Sires Shine Down Under

The veteran stallions Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) each sired a new Group 2 winner Down Under at Eagle Farm on Saturday. First to strike was Irish Sequel (Ire), formerly known as Bashiyr (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the Northern Hemisphere, for trainer Chris Waller. Waller is currently in the UK overseeing the preparation of crack sprinters Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) and Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) for their Royal Ascot bids.

The gelding, the 70th group winner for his sire, clawed his way to a head victory in the A$200,000 G2 Brisbane Cup over 3200 metres, just besting Through Irish Eyes (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), (VIDEO). The 6-year-old made his first 10 starts in Ireland and sported two victories there before catching Waller's eye for €50,000 at the 2020 Goffs Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale. Bred by His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs, he now races for a large ownership group. Successful in the June 4 Listed Winter Cup over 2400 metres at Rosehill, Irish Sequel was making his first start at the two-mile trip. His dam claimed the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial as a sophomore, and produced the Group 3-placed Balansiya (Ire) (Shamardal) as her first foal. Since foaling the winner, Baliyana (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) has the winning 5-year-old entire Balmari (Ire) (Mukhadram {GB}) and the winning Kodiac (GB) 3-year-old colt Equos Allez (Ire) to her name. A half-sister to G2 King Edward VII S. scorer Balakheri (Ire) (Theatrical {Ire}), her most recent foal is a juvenile colt by No Nay Never.

Later on the card was the A$1.2-million G2 Sky Racing Q22 (Eagle Farm Cup) over 2200 metres, and it was Teme Valley's Numerian (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who prevailed by a length over Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ), (VIDEO) for trainer Annabel Neasham. Turning into the straight on the lead, the 6-year-old gelding fended off all comers for a first group score and became his sire's 52nd at that level. Prior to racing in Australia, the son of the unraced Kantikoy (GB) (Alzao) who was bred by Annmarie O'Brien's Whisperview Trading, had won the Listed Devoy S. and was placed four times at group level in Ireland. He'd trotted up by three-quarters of a length in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup on May 7. His dam has a 3-year-old colt by Kingston Hill (GB) and a 2-year-old full-brother to the winner named Montesilvano (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). This is the extended family of Classic winner and GI Breeders' Cup Turf second Milan (GB) (Sadler's Wells).

Teme Valley has enjoyed success this year in the G3 Blue Wind S. with Tranquil Lady (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who ran sixth in the G1 Cazoo Oaks behind Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) earlier this month. The filly's older half-brother and three-time Group 1 winner State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) originally raced for the operation, but was sold on and now bears the colours of the State Of Rest Partnership. He will stand for Newgate Farm in the Southern Hemisphere and Rathbarry Stud in the Northern Hemisphere at the conclusion of his racing career.

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Waller Upbeat About Home Affairs and Nature Strip After Ascot Gallop

Chris Waller, trainer of Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) and Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}), two of the fastest horses in the world, provided an upbeat bulletin on his Royal Ascot hopefuls after they had their first experience of the track on Friday morning.

Home Affairs is on course to run in the Platinum Jubilee S. while Nature Strip is a leading fancy for the King's Stand S. for Waller, who will forever be remembered for his handling of Australian legend Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) and, more recently, last year's Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).

Nature Strip, one of the most decorated sprinters in the world with eight Group 1 wins to his name, and Home Affairs, twice successful at the highest level, were reported to have come through their breeze at Ascot racecourse with flying colours, according to the trainer.

Waller said, “It was pretty much a perfect trip-they had two stopovers, one in Singapore and one in Dubai.

“Collectively they drank 120 litres of water on the flight and I think that's the key for anyone travelling, just making sure they're well hydrated.

“They put on a couple of kilos on the flight but now they're back to their normal weights, so they needed to do a little bit of work this morning.

“Today was their first piece of fast work for two weeks, they just needed a little bit of stimulation and I was pretty happy with what they did.”

A handful of international raiders have based themselves in Newmarket while American handler Wesley Ward has taken his team to Chelmsford racecourse in the build-up to next week's royal meeting.

Waller was full of praise for the facilities in Lambourn, a racing centre more celebrated for its jumps inhabitants, as well as his European training colleagues.

He said, “It's been great, a lovely relaxed environment. It's amazing, the facilities over here, it's awesome-the horses just enjoy themselves and are very relaxed.

“Like a lot of training centres around the world, we train in the city and everything is a rush. There's a lot of horses in a small area, but not here, it's all about the horse and it's no wonder the English, Irish and French turn up so many good winners.”

He added, “You train to your own environment, we know what works in Australia. I have the utmost respect for how hard it must be to train a horse here.

“In particular they've got to have their horses right for six months of the year, we have 12 months to get things right. If you miss a carnival, you've got another one two or three months later – but there's only one Royal Ascot.

“The way the English and Irish trainers, and the French as well, the way they prepare them for their races is quite unique. We have prep runs, we don't get them ready for a 2,000 metre race first time.”

While Winx never made the trip to Ascot that so many fans hoped for, Waller is not a total stranger to Royal Ascot having sent Brazen Beau (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) to race in 2015.

The son of I Am Invincible came close to victory in the then Diamond Jubilee S., finding only the Ward-trained Undrafted (Purim) half a length too good.

Asked what he learnt from his experience with Brazen Beau, Waller said, “That it would be achievable to win a race here one day.

“He ran very well and he was a good Australian sprinter, a young horse with a similar profile to Home Affairs. You've got to have a horse with a good temperament, they've got to be quick, they've got to be able to cope with good tracks or perhaps a bit of rain on the day as well.

“We almost pulled it off, so not much has changed really, we almost got it right and we'll try to get it right this time.”

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Original Owners in ‘Elleegant’ To Sell Their Share

After Thursday's announcement that G1 Melbourne Cup heroine Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) would be trained in the Northern Hemisphere by Francis-Henri Graffard, the original ownership in the star mare have announced that they will sell their 20% stake.

“We're not happy and we will be looking to sell out of the mare unfortunately,” co-owner Nick Bishara told Racing.com on Friday morning.

“The Ellee syndicate was never in favour of going to Europe, basically on the back of what Chris [Waller] felt–that she's probably got one more prep in her and to go half way around the world might be a risk if she doesn't come up.

“The 80% of the syndicate wanted to go but the 20% [Ellee] of the syndicate didn't want to go. Don [Goodwin] bred her and we originally had her. We wanted to put the horse first. Chris Waller is a Hall Of Fame trainer and we were happy to go with what he thought.”

The 11-time Group 1 winner will shortly join Graffard in France and be prepped for an autumn campaign in France and England, with an eye to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

“She's not a great traveller,” he added. “Even from Sydney to Melbourne she's not fantastic so we just think the risk is too much.

“We are disappointed but also grateful for such a wonderful ride with a lot of people associated with her and of course, the Waller team who have done a fantastic job.

“Chris always puts his horses first and we've always been guided by him and I would have left everything in his hands but that's not the way it's turned out.”

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Verry Elleegant Joins Graffard for Euro Campaign

G1 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) will join Francis Graffard in France with a view towards targeting the major races in Europe this season, the connections of the Australian ace have announced.

An 11-time Group 1 winner, Verry Elleegant has netted her connections over £8 million and was described by Chris Waller, the man who managed her glittering career in Australia, as an “honour” to be associated with.

The statement from the ownership group was released on Thursday, and it read, “Being part of a champion racehorse is not just an enormous privilege but also a huge responsibility.

“We take this seriously and in the last couple of weeks have given further thought to what constitutes the right plan for our beautiful mare. We know she's a world-class stayer but we expect her to be weighted out of the Cups and there are limited options for her domestically.

“After much deliberation, we came to the realisation that if we want to campaign her in Europe, we need to do it properly and send her to be trained and prepared in the Northern Hemisphere.”

A tilt at the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is understood to be the main reason for sending Verry Elleegant to Graffard this season.

The statement added, “We're incredibly excited about the journey ahead and showcasing her on the world stage. We know win, lose or draw she'll do us, Australia and of course New Zealand proud.”

Graffard shared his excitement of taking over the training of Verry Elleegant on Twitter.

He said, “It is a huge honour to be entrusted with the 2021 Melbourne Cup winner and Champion race mare Verry Elleegant. I am conscious that I will be standing on the shoulders of a giant in taking her on from Chris Waller, who has done such an impeccable job with her.”

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