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Waller, O’Brien cut from the same cloth: Magnier

3 minute read

Coolmore handpicked Chris Waller to condition its Golden Slipper hopefuls and their faith is being justified.

SWITZERLAND winning the UNSW TODMAN STAKES.
SWITZERLAND winning the UNSW TODMAN STAKES. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

Coolmore principal Tom Magnier has paid Chris Waller the ultimate compliment ahead of Switzerland's Golden Slipper bid, drawing similarities between Sydney's champion trainer and Ballydoyle supremo Aidan O'Brien.

Waller delivered Coolmore its maiden Golden Slipper victory last year with Shinzo and on Saturday Switzerland will attempt to repeat the dose.

Waller has never been renowned as a trainer of two-year-olds due to his patient approach, and indeed has only had a handful of Golden Slipper runners, but Magnier says Coolmore specifically chose him to guide their valuable colts.

"Everybody said, 'he won't win a Slipper, why are you giving him all these horses?'" Magnier said.

"But the proof is in the pudding now, and he's got us a second good colt this year. I suppose everyone will be turning to him now for the Slipper.

"He's a patient trainer. He and Aidan (O'Brien) are just at a different level and the fact he is very patient with the horses and gives them time and he lets them come together naturally is a big help for us.

"We obviously have a big relationship with Aidan at home and we'd have a very similar relationship with Chris down here."

Switzerland is a clear $4.60 second favourite behind Coolmore's other star colt Storm Boy at $2.10.

Magnier is loathe to split them, but when asked about Switzerland's Slipper credentials, he believes the Todman Stakes winner has a sense of timing.

"He is improving all the time and he's coming together bang on target, bang on time," Magnier said.

While comparisons have been made between Shinzo and Switzerland – the pair sharing the same sire in Snitzel, as well as the same trainer and similar ownership group – the biggest difference between them has been their preparations.

While Shinzo won the Golden Slipper off a seven-day back-up by necessity, Switzerland booked his spot a little earlier, allowing him to arrive at the juvenile feature with two weeks between runs.

As a trainer who prefers planning over spontaneity, Waller is much happier with Switzerland's set-up.

While he admits his colt could have the misfortune of meeting a freakish youngster in Storm Boy, he also warns that Switzerland is yet to peak.

"There's a ceiling for a lot of horses, with this horse, there hasn't been," Waller said.

"He's kept lifting, he's kept jumping the bar we've put in front of him.

"This Saturday he goes to another level again. What I like about his racing is he's solid all the way to the line, he runs through the line, and I think the more pressure involved, the higher he'll perform."

The same could be said for Waller, who rarely doesn't make his presence felt on the major race days.

He will have seven runs across the five Group 1 races at Rosehill on Saturday, The Galaxy being the only feature in which he isn't represented.


Racing and Sports

Rosehill

Saturday, 23rd March 2024

8
16:40
(local)

TAB GOLDEN SLIPPER (G1)

Age: 2yo Type: OPEN
AUD $5,000,000
1200m TURF GOOD
8
16:40
(local)
AUD $5,000,000
1200m GOOD

TAB GOLDEN SLIPPER (G1)

Age: 2yo Type: OPEN


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 14. LADY OF CAMELOT (AUS) 2yo F
WRITTEN TYCOON (AUS) - MISS DEBUTANTE (AUS)
BLAKE SHINN
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$6.5
54.5kg
Go Bloodstock Australia (Mgr: Sir O G Glenn)
2nd 10. COLEMAN (AUS) 2yo C
PIERATA (AUS) - SBOOG (AUS)
KERRIN MCEVOY
MATT LAURIE
$41
56.5kg
Carringbush Park (Mgr: M Laurie), Mrs S Cummings, Mrs J Groves, R L Smith, Mrs C M Smith, F D Brown, Trilogy (Mgr: Mrs M Stenning), Mrs C A Dingwall, D V Mustica, Mrs L Mustica, P S Mustica, Mrs J Mustica, M D Laurie, Mrs J Koscielecki, S Gilbert & Mrs S L Gilbert

Sales Information

3rd 1. STORM BOY (AUS) 2yo C
JUSTIFY (USA) - PELICAN (NZ)
RYAN MOORE
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$2.5
56.5kg
Coolmore,Go Bloodstock,Iskander,Peachester Lodge,M Goodson,JPA Super,L To,Lockhart Waller,Bangaloe Stud,Resolute Racing,Poulin Maclennan,Cunningham T'breds,Nocab Racing(S Bacon),R Canceri,Huang Long Olatype(R McClure),De Jersey Grogan(Z De Jersey),Annetts Bowler(P Hughes)&Panthers Dickson(J Widdows)

Sales Information

4th 5. TRAFFIC WARDEN (AUS) 2yo C
STREET BOSS (USA) - EFFICIENTLY (AUS)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
JAMES CUMMINGS
$26
56.5kg
5th 15. MANAAL (AUS) 2yo F
TASSORT (AUS) - RED LODGE (USA)
JASON COLLETT
MICHAEL FREEDMAN
$41
54.5kg
6th 6. STRAIGHT CHARGE (AUS) 2yo C
WRITTEN BY (AUS) - MATRYOSHKA (AUS)
TIM CLARK
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$14
56.5kg

Sales Information

7th 16. ENEEZA (AUS) 2yo F
EXCEED AND EXCEL (AUS) - SWEET SHERRY (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
PETER G MOODY & KATHERINE COLEMAN
$61
54.5kg

Sales Information

8th 7. SWITZERLAND (AUS) 2yo C
SNITZEL (AUS) - MS BAD BEHAVIOR (CAN)
JAMES MCDONALD
CHRIS WALLER
$5
56.5kg

Sales Information

9th 11. HOLMES A COURT (AUS) 2yo C
CAPITALIST (AUS) - MENAGERIE (AUS)
TOM MARQUAND
PETER & PAUL SNOWDEN
$101
56.5kg

Sales Information

10th 2. FULLY LIT (AUS) 2yo C
HELLBENT (AUS) - SUNLIT (AUS)
SAM CLIPPERTON
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$51
56.5kg

Sales Information

11th 9. DUBLIN DOWN (AUS) 2yo C
EXCEEDANCE (AUS) - DUBLIN LASS (AUS)
HUGH BOWMAN
T & C MCEVOY
$26
56.5kg

Sales Information

12th 4. RUE DE ROYALE (NZ) 2yo C
PER INCANTO (USA) - URBAN ROYAL (AUS)
CHAD SCHOFIELD
T & C MCEVOY
$151
56.5kg

Sales Information

13th 12. PROST (AUS) 2yo C
SNITZEL (AUS) - SAMARMETEORS (AUS)
ADAM HYERONIMUS
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$31
56.5kg

Sales Information

14th 8. BODYGUARD (AUS) 2yo C
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - TUMOOH (AUS)
MARK ZAHRA
PETER & PAUL SNOWDEN
$20
56.5kg

Sales Information

15th 3. SHANGRI LA EXPRESS (AUS) 2yo C
ALABAMA EXPRESS (AUS) - SENT FROM ABOVE (AUS)
REGAN BAYLISS
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$61
56.5kg

Sales Information

16th 13. HAYASUGI (AUS) 2yo F
ROYAL MEETING (IRE) - CHINA ROAD (AUS)
JAMIE KAH
CLINTON MCDONALD
$10
54.5kg

Sales Information

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