Waller Duo Chasing Cup Success

Chris Waller will saddle up both Bellagio Wynn and Come On Cugat in today’s Listed $150,000 Grafton Cup (2350m).

Bellagio Wynn goes into the Listed feature race as the more fancied stablemate after he finished a one length second behind promising stayer Hume in the Group 3 Tatt’s Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 20.

“His last run was tremendous in the Tatts Cup up in Queensland,” Waller told Sky Sports Radio.

“He just got held up at a vital time and the winner had a break on us and we had to weave our way through and made up ground on the line. Obviously the winner of the race is in again today, Hume, and he will be hard to beat.”

“Our horse has done everything right and we’ve kept him up in Queensland for the better weather and hopefully that gives us an advantage as well. We gave him a 1000m trial at the Gold Coast about nine days ago just to get those nerves out of the system and take the edge off him for today’s race.”

It will be Bellagio Wynn’s third start over the distance, his last effort over 2400m resulted in a second behind Ready To Lift in the Group 3 Summer Cup at Randwick in December.

Waller believes it is staying races where the Dehere gelding puts his best foot forward after earlier preparations where the six-year-old was targeted at races over a mile.

“We actually bought the horse as a Magic Millions type of horse,” Waller said.

“He wasn’t very good at that caper so we slowly stepped him up and he looked like a really good miler.”

“Last preparation we thought we’d have a crack at the Epsom Handicap but second up he was just terrible, he couldn’t even get a mile.

“As a last resort we put him up over ground and he hasn’t looked back, his form has been great.”

Come On Cugat goes into the Grafton Cup as an $11 chance.

The five-year-old has been inconsistent this campaign but showed glimpses of his best when second two starts ago in the Stayers Cup (2400m) at Rosehill behind Nuclear Sky case in point.

“Last start on a heavy track he just couldn’t quicken in the going and I’m hoping on a better track today he improves and can be competitive,” Waller said.

A win for the Waller stable in the Grafton Cup would cap off what is arguably a career best season for the trainer.

The stable has amassed nearly 80 winners this season, almost 30 more than Waller’s previous best result since training in Australia, 53 during the 2006/07 season.

“It’s a huge team effort,” Waller said

“It can only be done with good systems and good staff and we’ve certainly got that. There is still plenty of room for improvement, but we’re proud of what we’ve done. We have 160 on the books with 80 in work at one time so it is a big operation.”

Article by – www.racingandsports.com.au

CWR Runners at Grafton 16 July

BELLAGIO WYNN	Race 6 – No. 2	Hugh Bowman
COME ON CUGAT	Race 6 – No. 6	Jeff Penza

Bellagio Wynn favourite for Grafton Cup

 

Sydney’s premiership leader Hugh Bowman believes Bellagio Wynn is the horse to give him his first Grafton Cup and punters agree with the Chris Waller-trained five-year-old crunched into outright favouritism.

Bellagio Wynn was the $4.20 popular elect on Wednesday ahead of Hume at $5 on TAB Sportsbet after the pair opened equal $5 favourites.

Bowman, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday, is looking forward to travelling to the northern NSW track on Thursday for the 2350 metre race.

“It’s always great going to these carnivals, they have a great atmosphere and I’m going there to ride a horse who I think has a great chance,” Bowman said.

“The closest I’ve come in the Grafton Cup was a second on Crown Mahal and I’d love to win the race.

“Chris Waller’s stable is firing and so is the horse, he was very unlucky last start.”

Crown Mahal was beaten a half head by Desk Top Flyer in 2001.

Bellagio Wynn and Hume clashed last time out in the Group Three Tattersalls Cup at Eagle Farm (2200m) on June 20.

Rounding the home turn in the Tattersalls’ Cup Bellagio Wynn’s jockey Larry Cassidy was caught in a pocket and Hume went on to outsprint the Waller-trained five-year-old and score by one length.

“It’s not a full field, there’s only about 14 in it, which is good because quite often you can have about half a dozen in the race who have no chance and they can get in the way,” Bowman said.

“I’ve been impressed with Bellagio’s last couple of runs and I don’t think there’s a lot of depth in the race, he’s right in this.”

Bowman rode Bellagio Wynn in a couple of barrier trials in April and had a couple of unplaced rides on him early in his career.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on him in a race and he’s come along way since then,” Bowman said.

A week before the Tattersalls’ Cup Bellagio Wynn finished two lengths third to Crossthestart at Ipswich over 1666 metres.

Article by – www.bloodstock.com.au