Chris Waller began the day with a trifecta, ended it with a quinella, and trained half the program to dominate the Rosehill Gardens meeting on Saturday.
Under threatening skies, Sydney’s premier trainer capped another memorable afternoon on his home track when Black Revolver swept past stablemate The Alfonso to win the Mounties Group Handicap (1500m).
Black Revolver’s win complemented the earlier successes of Forever Crazy (race 1), Sensualism (race 2) and Hoylonny (race 3) to give Waller a quartet of wins.
“It’s a good way to start the season,’’ said Waller, who is nearly at unbackable odds to win a fifth successive Sydney trainers premiership.
Black Revolver’s effort also gave jockey James McDonald a treble – he won on Nostradamus and Entirely Platinum – to get his title defence off to a good start.
McDonald rode a patient race on Black Revolver ($6) who finished too strongly to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths from The Alfonso ($4.60 favourite), with Lucky Lucky Lucky ($21) running on late for third, more than two lengths back.
Black Revolver scored impressively at a Canterbury night meeting when making his debut last November but he had gone 10 starts without winning until this breakthrough.
“It was a good effort from the winner, it was his day,’’ Waller said.
“He has had a few questionable runs, mainly on wet tracks, but on a good track he is a better horse.
“He’s a typical Lonhro, very good but quite timid and shy, and getting him out into the open on a good track gave him the chance to show he has got ability.
“The Alfonso also ran very well and he’s a horse to follow.’’
Source: Ray Thomas
