Trainer Chris Waller’s strategic decision to separate his three-year-old prospects, Consulate and Katoto, across different states has proven highly successful, with both talented horses securing feature race wins in their respective assignments.
Katoto was withdrawn from the Sandown Guineas (1600m), a race ultimately claimed by Consulate, while Katoto herself triumphed in the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle approximately ninety minutes later.
“You know what Chris is like, he’s very meticulous and methodical with his planning,” Waller’s assistant trainer, Charlie Duckworth, commented. “He’ll never lock in for one way or another. He’ll keep his options open, and it has worked out he’s ended up winning both races as a result.”
In the eight runnings of the Spring Stakes since its relocation to a November timeslot, Katoto ($8.50) has become the sixth filly to achieve victory during this period. Competing recently in Melbourne, she demonstrated a superior turn of foot to outperform the colts and geldings at Newcastle on Saturday. Piloted by Tyler Schiller, she came from the latter half of the field to win by a length over the favoured Queenslander Kickup Rocky ($2.45), with Prince Of Verona ($4.80) securing third place.
“Whilst we did throw her in the deep end, we were confident the ability was there and she just needed conditions to suit,” Duckworth added. “I said to Tyler, you’ve just got to do no work early, get her to relax and then she’ll see out the mile, and he did exactly that and she absolutely blew them away.”
Duckworth indicated that Katoto would likely be spelled with the aim of preparing for the autumn, where a race such as the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) could be a viable target if her relaxed racing style continues. “But she does need to continue to relax. She did that beautifully today, so there’s no reason she couldn’t,” he stated. “In terms of building her value, you’ve got to try to get her into those Group One races and then work out where her ceiling is.”
Although Katoto showed a slight tendency to hang when reaching the front in the straight, Schiller maintained that the race was always within her grasp. “I thought she chimed in at the right time,” Schiller remarked. “She got a little bit stargaze-y the last hundred, but for a horse who hasn’t hit the front for a while, I wasn’t too worried. She really stuck it out late.”
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