Waller hopes 1200m will be up Orcein’s alley
TRAINER Chris Waller is hopeful the step up to 1200m will be enough for Orcein to put himself in a winning position in today’s B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Doomben.
Orcein has caught the eye in two 1100m Rosehill runs, getting back and hitting the line strongly on each occasion.
“His two starts have both been good. He just lacks a bit of early speed. I’m hoping the 1200m is a different style of race,” Waller said. “He’s drawn well, so he gets the chance to settle a bit closer.”
Waller has added blinkers for today’s run, but admits he’s not sure how the Snitzel colt will react in them.
“It’s probably a little bit of an overkill, but we’ll see how they go. I’m just trying to get that tactical speed out of him,” he said.
After a slow start, Waller’s Gold Coast stable under the guidance of foreman Paul Shailer is now finding its feet.
The Gold Coast base had produced 14 winners from its past 56 runners (25 per cent) and Waller said it was now achieving exactly what he set out to do.
“It’s been fantastic. There’s no doubting Queensland’s climate is very favourable for horses,” he said.
“I’m not sure about summer because I haven’t trained horses through the summer up there yet, but it’s obvious to see horses do well up there in the other nine months of the year.
“So I’m looking forward to getting the next three months out of the way and just seeing how they cope with that hot weather. But they certainly hold their condition very well.”