Waller gets his 40 winks, no problem
FOR a man with one of the largest and most successful stables in Australia, Chris Waller sleeps surprisingly well.
If there is a horse in Waller’s yard with the potential to induce chronic insomnia, the obvious suspect is Winx.
But, counter intuitively, the most precious and coveted commodity in Waller’s care is precisely the reason the urbane Kiwi is so relaxed.
Admitting he feels the pressure associated with guiding the career of the world’s top-rated turf galloper, Waller said Winx’s nature was the ideal foil.
“There’s never been a sleepless night with Winx,” he said. “You go to bed a pretty happy person.
“She’s one of a big team and I think that suits her as well – she doesn’t get anything special or fuss or attention. She’s like all the other horses in the stable.
“We watch other horses work, we watch and analyse other horse’s training programs and adjust their races, just like we do with Winx.
“On Saturday, I’ll be watching racing in Sydney.
“I’ll be watching a few runners here in Melbourne but then, all of a sudden, you’re putting a saddle on and it’s Winx and the Turnbull Stakes. If anything, having a bigger stable distracts the attention.
“If you just had the one horse it would be very intense, something that you’re not trained for or used to, having all the media here focusing on you and watching every move.”
Unflappable and famously methodical, Waller, 43, says he will enjoy Winx’s career even more when it’s over.
“It’s an absolute honour to train her,” he said.
“Something that you really don’t get caught up in, in the moment but I think it will be a huge privilege to look back on.”
When Waller collects jockey Hugh Bowman’s saddle at Flemington ahead of the Turnbull Stakes today and walks to Winx’s stall, he will be consumed by nothing more than the present.
Jaded by constant questioning over Winx’s future, Waller is determined not to allow discussion to run beyond the immediate.
“After the Cox Plate, we’ll go home and have a rest and assess whether she’ll run in the Emirates Stakes on the last day of the Melbourne Cup carnival,” he said. “It’s silly to talk about it. “The centre of our attention is Saturday. After that it’ll be the Cox Plate and after that it’ll be longevity.”
IF ANYTHING, HAVING A BIGGER STABLE DISTRACTS THE ATTENTION … IF YOU JUST HAD THE ONE HORSE IT WOULD BE VERY INTENSE. CHRIS WALLER