Chris Waller has been thus far better known for his training of older horses than juveniles, but the champion trainer signaled a potential rise in the latter sphere when winning a first Listed Breeders' Plate, Australia's first juvenile race of the season, at Randwick on Saturday with $5.00 shot Performer (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). The A$450,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling–who is campaigned by Waller in a partnership including Magic Bloodstock of Winx fame and Neil Werrett, part-owner of Black Caviar (Aus)–was slowest away from the barriers but gradually made up ground on the rail to sit on the heels of China Horse Club, Newgate Thoroughbreds and WinStar's A$400,000 Magic Millions purchase Bondi (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), a $4.60 chance, as they rounded the turn. Shadowing that rival as he ran down the pacesetters inside the 200, Performer was pushed out by Hugh Bowman to overtake that rival under a handride and hit the wire a half-length the better (video). Bowman said. “I expected a good run from him; it's no surprise that he won, in fact I thought he would and I'm pleased he delivered on my expectations.”
Blake Shinn aboard Bondi said, “It was a great run, nearly as good as a win. He did everything right, he ran as well as he could, the winner was just a bit better.”
The Breeders' Plate is a significant pointer to Group 1 success, having been won in recent years by the likes of G1 Golden Slipper winners and 'TDN Rising Stars' Vancouver (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and Capitalist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}). Other Golden Slipper winners to have debuted successfully in the Breeders' Plate include Pierro (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) and Sebring (Aus) (More Than Ready).
The following race on the card was the fillies Breeders' Plate equivalent, the Listed Gimcrack S., and it was won by Belinda Bateman's Satin Slipper (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}). The winning time was almost two seconds slower than the colts, but winning rider Hugh Bowman said the filly is one for next season. “I wasn't as confident with her as I was the colt, but these Snowden 2-year-olds are so well prepared,” he said. “She'll be so much better in six months, she has a great pedigree and will be a lovely filly.”
Sitting midfield off the rail through the first half of the race, the $6.50 shot emerged from the pack in the middle of the track halfway down the stretch and was all out to nip $21.00 longshot Setsuna (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) by a head. The $4.60 favourite Witherspoon (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was wide throughout and was one-paced in the stretch before checking in eighth (video).
Also on the Randwick undercard, 5-year-old mare In Her Time (Aus) (Time Thief {Aus}) raced into contention for the A$10-million The Everest on Oct. 14 with a win over intended Everest starter English (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) in the G2 Premiere S. (video). Making a late run to be sixth was another Everest contender, the champion sprinter Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}).
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