Chris Waller is set to field a strong lineup during the two-day Scone carnival, yet the horse generating the most anticipation for the trainer is the returning Sun God.
The five-year-old is one of potentially 18 contenders from the leading trainer as he launches his new campaign in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) this Saturday.
This European arrival has secured three victories from 14 Australian outings, with his latest success coming over a mile at Randwick back in February, offering key learnings for his team.
Although Sun God triumphed over 2400m in England, Waller believes his attributes suit Australian conditions better at shorter distances, based on his performances.
“Sun God, I’m looking forward to him resuming,” Waller said.
“Last ‘prep’, we learned that a mile sees him out. It will be interesting to see how he runs fresh, and he has drawn well.”
Sun God boasts a prior first-up win and starts from barrier two in the packed field of 16 plus four emergencies.
The trainer also has the consistent Captain Furai entered in the race, whereas Waterford holds dual acceptance for Friday’s Scone Cup (1600m) but is tipped to run there instead.
“Captain Furai, he has a slightly tricky draw (barrier 10) but gee, he’s racing consistently,” Waller said.
“He needs luck from that draw, but he has trained on really well. He’ll be four weeks between runs so he’s nice and fresh.
“Waterford will most likely run in the Cup. That’s our preference.”
On the other hand, Waller favours Saturday’s Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) for Chica Mojito, who has gate 12 there in the fillies and mares event compared to barrier 18 in the Cup.
In general, Waller notes that race luck will play a key role on Saturday, as most of the 10 events feature maximum fields.
“They’re big fields and it’s a good, fair track, but you need a bit of luck,” he said.
The sole exception is the Midway Handicap (1700m), set to feature 15 out of a maximum 16 participants.
Explore the top Australian betting sites for the latest odds on Sun God in the Luskin Star Stakes.