29.08.2008, WALLER CHANGES MIND WITH ENZEDEX EAGLE

Trainer Chris Waller has changed his mind and will target the Group One Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick with tough stayer Enzedex Eagle if the horse wins the Listed Wyong Cup on Friday week.

Waller originally planned to spell the five-year-old after the Wyong Cup but believes the gelding has the class for a race like the Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 4.

“If he wins the Wyong Cup we will definitely press on towards the Metropolitan,” Waller said.

“If not then we will wait a little while before deciding if we will go ahead with the plan or send him for a spell.

“If he does start in the Metropolitan he will definitely go for a spell after it.”

Enzedex Eagle has been in work since March and has won four of his last five starts.

The gelding will trial at Warwick Farm on Friday to prepare him for the Wyong Cup.

Included in the same trial is Waller’s Epsom Handicap hope Triple Honour.

Waller led in a winning treble at the AJC meeting at Newcastle on Tuesday, winning the first two races, the Go Racing At Broadmeadow Maiden (1850m) with Il Capitano (Jeff Penza) and the Romantic Dream Maiden (1500m) with Corey Brown’s mount Baby Casino and later taking out the www.Ulinkcard.com.au Hcp (900m) with Anavila, ridden by Jeff Lloyd.

 By Grahame Timbrell

29.08.2008, SYDNEY’S BEST MILERS ARE JOINT EPSOM FAVOURITES

Despite the unlikelihood of Racing To Win taking his place in the Epsom Handicap, Betchoice have installed the John O’Shea-trained gelding as an equal favourite with Triple Honour for Randwick’s feature mile of the spring.

Both horses head up betting at $5.50 but Racing To Win’s trainer John O’Shea has called for a “fair weight” declaring anything above 58.5kgs “he can’t win” which would most likely rule the 2006 winner out of the race.

“I want to run him, but they’ve got to give him a fair weight,” O’Shea said after Racing To Win won the Warwick Stakes last Saturday.

“It’s got to be relevant to what he won the race with, how he won it and what he’s done since.

“He’s not Super Impose – so he shouldn’t be given Super Impose’s weight.”

But Racing NSW handicapper Greg Pearson has declared that the grey would be asked to carry a minimum of 60 kgs saying “Racing To Win will get a weight starting with a ‘six’, I can guarantee that”.

The Epsom still remains in the sights of the Chris Waller-trained Triple Honour who returned in fine style winning the Premiere Stakes at Rosehill 12 days ago.

Waller is yet to finalise Triple Honour’s entire spring campaign with the Racing NSW handicapper sure to play a role in the Rosehill trainer’s final decision.

“I’d like to think the Epsom [will be a target] but every race we win makes it harder with the handicapper,” Waller said after the Premiere Stakes.

“The Cox Plate is still in the back of our minds but to have a crack at a race like that you’d probably have to miss the Epsom and have a run down there the Melbourne way of going.”

The weights for the Epsom will be released on September 15.

 Clinton Payne

Racenet.com.au