For more than 10 years now, Chris Waller’s emerging three-year-olds have thrived via the Phar Lap Stakes as a key early test, yet this year’s version includes a nuanced shift.
With eight triumphs since Winx’s initial score in 2015, the elite conditioner lines up Australian Guineas podium finisher and dominant favourite Sixties on Saturday, joined by fresher fillies Panova ($7.50) and Soverato ($19).
Sixties pursues Doncaster Mile (1600m) glory, potentially etching history as Waller’s first colt to conquer the Phar Lap Stakes (1500m).
Past triumphs were all fillies, but Panova as the nominated second choice in ante-post markets fits the winner archetype.
Spring victor of the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) on Flemington’s turf, she placed sixth resuming in the Surround Stakes (1400m).
Waller foresees a turnaround, attributing the fixture’s early autumn placement to its value in readying strong fillies.
“It’s just one step back from the Group Ones and seems to give them good confidence. It has been a good stepping stone,” Waller said.
“And Panova is really nice filly. I expected her to run a length or two better first-up, but I’m not reading too much into it. I just think she was underdone. She is a good horse.”
Adrian Bott eyes redemption for Shangri La Boy in the Group 2 following his leading defeat in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m) upon spring return.
A poor fresh result sparked a strategy rethink, with this race pivotal for direction.
“A performance well below par first-up, hence the reason we pivoted from the Randwick Guineas, which was always the original plan,” Bott said.
“Hopefully this is a race we can see him bounce back in and gain some confidence through, and then we can adjust the back end of the campaign.”
The colt excels at Rosehill, with a 2-from-3 record, and Nash Rawiller engaged.
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