Chris Waller has entered three of his top performers for Saturday’s $300,000 Expressway Stakes at Randwick, though it’s improbable that all will compete against each other.
Joliestar, Angel Capital and Lady Shenandoah are listed among 10 nominations for the 1200-metre Group 2 event, serving as a lead-in to Group 1 races on the second start, and Waller continues to deliberate on his selections.
“We have got three ace cards for the Expressway, including Angel Capital and Joliestar, so I don’t want to run all three,” Waller said.
“I want to try to hold one back. I don’t know which one, possibly Lady Shenandoah.
“She could run in the mares’ race, the Triscay (Stakes), or run the following week in the Millie Fox.”
Nevertheless, Waller plans to have three participants in the Expressway Stakes, including the four-year-old Lazzura heading toward the Coolmore Classic, who will kick off her preparation.
“She’s had a couple of Group One placings and hasn’t had a lot of luck with a couple of them. She jarred up a bit in Melbourne with the firm tracks in the spring,” Waller said.
Lazzura and Lady Shenandoah, part of 13 nominations for the $250,000 Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m), were displayed at Randwick last Saturday, participating in demonstration gallops over 1000m.
Autumn Glow, Aeliana, Lindermann and Trinity College joined in comparable sessions, which Waller noted would aid their training.
“The day out, the hot weather, the trip home, they’ve been away from the freed bin for six hours. It’s all part of tightening them up,” Waller said.
“It just saves the hard workouts and it saves getting behind. It’s easier to be well ahead. You just can’t play catch up with horses, so being well prepared and exhibitions gallops show everything has gone to plan and there have been no setbacks.
“If I don’t give them an exhibition gallop, it’s either a rushed prep or I just didn’t have time to do it how I wanted to do it.
“It gives them a chance to have a bit of a sweat, break the skin. Then next week they’ll come back and they’ll be picture perfect.”
Autumn Glow, Aeliana, Lindermann and Trinity College are included in Waller’s nine entries for the $300,000 Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), potentially joined by Antino, Ceolwulf and Stefi Magnetica.
Check out the Australian betting sites for the latest odds ahead of the Expressway Stakes.
The post Chris Waller weighing up Expressway Stakes team first appeared on Just Horse Racing.
