Chris Waller’s practice of entering multiple runners in feature races is well-established, and his quartet of fillies for the Tea Rose Stakes adds a layer of intrigue to the third leg of the Princess Series.
Striking Alibi, a former Perth-based three-year-old, has emerged as the clear market favourite among the four. This status is bolstered by her eye-catching third-place finish on her Sydney debut in the Furious Stakes (1200m) last month.
It was this performance that convinced prominent jockey James McDonald to choose her over stablemate Sing Your Song for his ride in the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) this Saturday.
“That’s the reason James opted to ride her because he’s got a very good opinion of (stablemate) Sing Your Song,” said Charlie Duckworth, Chris Waller’s right-hand man in Sydney.
“He was given the option as a race-by-race proposition to ride whichever one he wanted in the race, and he chose to go with Striking Alibi, so that’s a pretty good push.”
Waller’s other three entries – Sing Your Song, Kototo, and Sequinned – have been given their recent racing experience in midweek events, and Duckworth reports that all are showing promise.
Sing Your Song, a full sister to the stakes winner Matias, broke her maiden status over 1400m at Warwick Farm in her most recent start.
Her primary goal is the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) two weeks from Saturday, but Duckworth expects her to make a significant impact at Randwick.
“She hasn’t missed a beat. She galloped really well on Tuesday morning, and 1400 on a big track will be right up her alley,” he commented.
“And beyond that, a mile in the Flight, she’ll be ready to peak. She is learning with each and every gallop, each and every race. She has just taken a bit of time to mentally put it all together.”
Kototo is also from a strong pedigree, being a half-sister to last Saturday’s Sheraco Stakes winner Savvy Hallie, by Wootton Bassett. Sequinned, described as “pretty speedy,” is a sibling to the successful sire Bivouac.
Duckworth anticipates Kototo, who achieved a stakes placing in Brisbane during the winter months, will be well-suited by Saturday’s 1400m distance after finishing a close fourth to Sequinned on her return over a shorter trip.
“She’s one we’ve always held in really high regard. She is thrown in the deep end on Saturday, but she won’t disgrace herself,” Duckworth concluded.
The racing odds for the Tea Rose Stakes are keenly contested.