Trainer Chris Waller is the shining light of Sydney racing after smashing through the glass ceiling and shattering the record for most metropolitan wins in a season at Rosehill on Saturday.
Waller surpassed the existing record of 156 wins, held by father and daughter Tommy Smith & Gai Waterhouse, with his first runner on Saturday, Oompa Loompa, giving Waller 156.5 Sydney winners for the season to better the record. Oompa Loompa led throughout to win the Become An ATC Sponsor (1200m) for 3YOs.
However Waller’s winners didn't stop there and by the end of the day he had established a new benchmark of 159.5 wins with further wins to Fulgur (by High Chaparral), Secessio & Eigelstein.
An emotional Waller was clearly delighted with his accomplishment. “It’s a very satisfying moment,” he stated. “We won't get ahead of ourselves and say that we’ll better it or anything, we’ll just enjoy it.”
With seven meetings left for this 2012-13 racing season and with a 2013-14 racing program reducing city meeting by 10 meetings, Waller is likely to set a mark that will take a long time to break again. With the quality of trainers setting up camp in Sydney from New Zealand recently and the influx of others proven trainers like Peter Moody doubling his exposure at Randwick, the increase in competition in the trainers ranks and less meetings will impact significantly on the record.
“The pressure has been there the last month,” Waller said.
“It's been a long season and I don't take it for granted.
“I've got great staff and we have good systems in place.”
Part of the system has involved concentrating on middle distance horses which has included buying older stayers from Europe, a practice Waller started when he was setting out because he couldn't afford to buy yearlings in Australia several years ago.
Fulgur (by High Chaparral), Eigelstein and Secessio are all part of that process.
“We used to go to England but those horses are getting expensive now,” Waller said.
But he hasn’t restricted himself to Sydney, ending the season as the leading Group One trainer in Australia with nine wins by eight different horses.
In 2012-13 Racing Season they were:
Shoot Out - $350,000 George Main Stakes (1600m)
Shoot Out - $350,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m)
Foreteller - $400,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m)
Royal Descent - $550,000 Patinack Farm Australian Oaks (2400m)
Sacred Falls - $2,000,000 BMW Doncaster Handicap (1600m)
Reliable Man - $500,000 Santos Australia Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m)
Beaten Up - $500,000 Kirks Doomben Cup (2000m)
Hawkspur - $500,000 Channel 7 Queensland Derby (2400m)
Red Tracer - $500,000 Tattersall's Tiara (1400m)
Overall Chris has won 25 Group 1 races by 19 different horses.
“We just try to place the horses where they are suited and hope they reach the level we want,” he said.
“This record is something I'll look back on. I just want to keep going along and improving.
“There is always something to learn as a trainer.”
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