Chris Waller will reach a new milestone this Melbourne Cup week when he lines up his first-ever starter in the VRC Oaks at Flemington.

The champion trainer will send out The Pearls in Thursday’s Group 1 feature for three-year-old fillies over 2500m.

A winner at Hawkesbury in September, The Pearls has since finished second in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) and third in the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).

“I can’t remember having a runner in the Oaks… it’s a long way and doesn’t really suit our style of training,” Waller said.

“But this filly has had the right grounding and most importantly she has come through each run really well.”

Waller said he would have spelled her if she’d shown any signs of fatigue.
“But she’s thriving,” he said.

With 185 Group 1 wins already, Waller has captured Oaks races around Australia — but never at Flemington.

“She is a good filly, big and strong, and tough,” he said, conceding her wide barrier draw is now “James McDonald’s problem.”