Trainer Chris Waller can offer no higher praise for his gelding Foreteller.
“Genuine weight-for-age horses these days are few and far between, but he’s one of them,” Waller said of the eight-year-old.
“I’m the first to admit he’s not the best horse Australia’s ever seen but he’s been great for his connections and has been a tremendous money-spinner.”
Foreteller starts another spring campaign when he runs in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
To be ridden by Hugh Bowman, Foreteller is a $8 chance with TAB, with last year’s winner, Puissance De Lune, the $3 favourite.
Waller knows Foreteller’s best could be behind him and is planning accordingly.
“He’s another year older. We’ll try and steer away from the leading horses and try and sneak a bit of prizemoney where we can,” he said.
Last year Foreteller finished fourth in the Cox Plate, but Waller said while he had been entered again, he wasn’t being specifically set for the race.
“If he can win a race then we’ll revisit where we’re going with him.
“The plan with him is to place him where he can win money. If he can win a race, then we would revisit our plans,” Waller said.
In 2013 Foreteller was one of the country’s best weight-for-age performers, winning the Ranvet Stakes, Peter Young Stakes and Makybe Diva Stakes. He also finished second in the Caulfield Stakes.
In the autumn Foreteller finished third in the Australian Cup before failing in two Sydney runs, a fact Waller attributed to wet tracks.
“If it’s worse than dead, he just doesn’t handle it these days,” he said.
While Caulfield is a Slow 6 rating, Waller is expecting it to get to a Dead rating
“Even if it stayed Slow he’d still run as he needs the run and if he didn’t we’d be behind the Eight ball with him. Also 1400m is usually too short for him,’ he said.
Waller said his Melbourne base was working in well with his Sydney stables.
“It just gives us another alternative. It’s all about placing horses where they can win prizemoney,” he said.
Waller said he had 20 horses in work at his Flemington stables.
Waller has six horses running at Caulfield on Saturday.
Source: Herald Sun
