Wizard of Oz Chris is a Kiwi in a hurry
HE will saddle Australia’s two best sprinters at Royal Ascot next week – but Chris Waller is more All Black than Baggy Green.
Sydney-based Waller (above) has dominated the sport in his adopted country, training Winx to a world-record 33 consecutive victories – including 28 at Group 1 – and winning 2021 the Melbourne Cup with
Verry Elleegant.
But he hails from New Zealand’s North Island, where as a 10-year-old he watched local hero Kiwi land ‘the race that stops a nation’ in 1983.
Now 49, Waller has made routine work of breaking records in Australia – but success at Royal Ascot would bring a new landmark.
Nature Strip, the world’s top-rated speedster, is in action in Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes over five furlongs before Home Affairs joins compatriot Artorius over an additional furlong in Saturday’s Platinum Jubilee Stakes.
Even Royal Ascot can’t compete with the bulging purses on offer in Australia, but Waller admitted: “You can’t beat prestige and tradition.
“We love the English racing – Royal Ascot is something unique – and it’s a great privilege to be here.”
Post Covid-19 – the pandemic restricted runners from overseas – Ascot’s five days has a transcontinental flavour, with horses from Australia, Japan and America.
Ridden by Waller’s fellow Kiwi, James Mcdonald, 20-time winner Nature Strip, whose part-owner Sir Steve Hansen coached the All Blacks to their 2015 Rugby Union
World Cup triumph, takes on American Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal – the pair dominate the antepost market – in the
King’s Stand.
“Golden Pal is very good and very quick,” said Waller.
“It will be all about which horse copes with the pressure of the race.
“I doubt Golden Pal will have been under the pressure he is about to be under, with the same applying to our horse.”
Victory would take the gelding’s earnings into eight figures, and Waller added: “Nature Strip used to be a bit hit and miss because he would charge and race very fiercely.
“Now he is more relaxed and tractable – he has matured into a foolproof horse.”
Home Affairs, carrying the silks of the Coolmore Stud, registered the first of his two top-level scores at Melbourne’s Spring Carnival and shades another Ward runner, Campanelle, in the
Jubilee Stakes betting.
Waller, whose duo have been stabled with Charlie Hills in Lambourn, enthused: “Home Affairs is very good over 1200m, provided he settles, and we have done a lot of work with him on that.”
It is 10 years since
Black Caviar joined Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast on the list of Australian horses to savour Royal Ascot glory but Waller is confident the wait is about to end.
“Everything has gone to plan so far – they have not put a foot wrong,” he said.
“They are both good, straighttrack horses and they only need to replicate their Australian form to be fighting out the finish with the best
in the world.”