Chris Waller’s strategic decision to split his promising three-year-old horses, Consulate and Katoto, between different states has proven to be a masterstroke, with both runners achieving significant feature race victories.
The tactical move saw Katoto withdrawn from the Sandown Guineas (1600m), a race that Consulate subsequently won, while Katoto herself went on to claim the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle approximately ninety minutes later.
“You know what Chris is like, he’s very meticulous and methodical with his planning,” stated Waller’s assistant trainer, Charlie Duckworth. “He’ll never lock in for one way or another. He’ll keep his options open, and it has worked out he’s ended up winning both races as a result.”
Katoto’s win in the Spring Stakes makes her the sixth filly to have won the race since it shifted to a November timeslot, now in its eighth year. Having recently competed in Melbourne, she displayed a superior turn of foot at Newcastle on Saturday, coming from the rear half of the field under the guidance of Tyler Schiller to win by a length over the favourite, Kickup Rocky ($2.45). Prince Of Verona ($4.80) secured third place.
“Whilst we did throw her in the deep end, we were confident the ability was there and she just needed conditions to suit,” Duckworth explained. “I said to Tyler, you’ve just got to do no work early, get her to relax and then she’ll see out the mile, and he did exactly that and she absolutely blew them away.”
Duckworth suggested that Katoto would likely be spelled in preparation for the autumn carnival, with the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) potentially on the radar if she continues to race with composure. “But she does need to continue to relax. She did that beautifully today, so there’s no reason she couldn’t,” he commented. “In terms of building her value, you’ve got to try to get her into those Group One races and then work out where her ceiling is.”
Although Katoto exhibited a slight tendency to hang when reaching the front in the straight, Schiller assured that the race was always under control. “I thought she chimed in at the right time,” Schiller said. “She got a little bit stargaze-y the last hundred, but for a horse who hasn’t hit the front for a while, I wasn’t too worried. She really stuck it out late.”
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