Champion conditioner Chris Waller has conveyed that a double dose of celebration awaits if Soulcombe proves victorious in the Bendigo Cup.
Achieving a win, or even a top-three finish, in Wednesday’s Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) race will guarantee Soulcombe a start in the renowned Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday.
For jockey Nash Rawiller, a win would carry immense personal weight as he seeks his second Bendigo Cup triumph, having previously won the event in 2000 aboard Yammer for Tony Noonan. Rawiller, who hails from Bendigo but is now based in Sydney, has a global reputation for riding success.
Waller is confident that Rawiller will put forth his utmost effort in his pursuit of a second Bendigo Cup title. “Nash was very keen to come down for the Bendigo Cup, and he said to us a couple of weeks ago, ‘try and find something with my weight for the Bendigo Cup’,” Waller relayed. “As it’s worked out, Soulcombe is there and I think it would mean more to Nash than anyone if Soulcombe could win. (I’m sure) he’ll even bring the kitchen sink down.”
It has been a long and challenging path back for Soulcombe, who spent nearly three years away from racing due to tendon injuries. Soulcombe finished second to Without A Fight in the 2023 Melbourne Cup and did not race again until August 29 at Caulfield, where he finished unplaced behind the eventual Caulfield Cup winner, Kingswood.
Waller has observed a steady improvement in Soulcombe’s performance. Should the stayer secure a top-three placing and thus a Melbourne Cup invitation, he will take his place next Tuesday. “He’s very fit. He hasn’t had a lot of luck in his last two runs,” Waller commented. “The key was getting him back from the tendon issue. It’s been gradual, small steps. We had a couple of attempts, they failed, but he’s finally back and as a result was a little bit softer than what we would have liked first and second up. He’s gradually found that fitness, so there’s a sense of timing there, but we’ll just watch and see, but if he finishes top three, he will run.”
Soulcombe’s recent outings include a seventh-place finish behind stablemate Pinhole in the Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield on October 10, followed by a sixth in the Geelong Cup (2400m) last week, behind Point Of Law. Soulcombe is currently rated a $12 chance in Bendigo Cup betting markets, with Kings Valley the firm $2.90 favourite. Check out the racing odds at betting sites.
