FOR those of us who remain confident that dreams can come true it was a wonderful weekend of sport and racing. For others who prefer to trust the form and back the favourites it was an absolute nightmare. Their beloved Broncos were belted by the Warriors, a depleted Cowboys’ outfit upset the Roosters and Queensland warrior Rothfire defied his odds of $61 to score a massive form reversal win in the Doomben 10,000.
‘Big Ben’ Dorries, writing for Racenet, declared that not since Black Caviar won the BTC Cup at the same track 15 years earlier had there been such extraordinary scenes at Doomben. ‘Grown men and women wept openly and the crowd roar was deafening as Queensland marvel and super freak Rothfire turned back the clock and snatched the Group 1 Doomben 10,000. It was Rothfire’s second Group 1 – six years after the ‘Thriller from Chinchilla’ won the 2020 JJ Atkins in his two-year-old season as the Covid pandemic swept the world.
No-one doubted the courage of Rothfire or the training prowess of trainer Rob Heathcote, but form students questioned how he could improve so dramatically after beating only one home in The Archer at Rockhampton. They conceded he struck trouble in that $1 million race but highlighted how he sat four and five deep in the 10,000 and made his rivals – including The Everest runner-up Jimmysstar (which ran fourth) look second rate. Stewards saw no need to query the improvement. They were more interested in the favourite and their report read:
HAMPERED at the start and raced in restricted room for a short distance approaching the 800m. Leaving the 200m was obliged to alter course after improving onto the heels of ZARASTRO which shifted in to improve. When asked to comment on performance, jockey Ethan Brown reported that the tempo of (Saturday’s) race may not have suited JIMMYSSTAR, however, he was pleased with the overall performance of the gelding.
### WALLER PHILOSOPHY: ‘BEND OVER & COP ANOTHER CARROT ‘
As for Rothfire, boosting his career earnings close to the $6mn mark, those ‘grown men and women who were openly weeping’ some have questioned whether they really believed that only loyalty to a local hero would have convinced them to back Rothfire. Not to mention that champion trainer Chris Waller on yet another weekend had delivered his message to punters who back his fancied runners: ‘Bend over and cop another carrot up the arse guys and gals’.
Waller might be a great trainer but he is no friend of the punters. And as for his First Lieutenant ‘Sir Charles’ Duckworth – well Australian Racing should do the industry a favour and send him back to England never to return like they once did in reverse with their convicts, not that we’re suggesting this wonderful man stole a loaf of bread. JUST have a look at the WALLER STABLE results from Saturday and you decide how hard it is for the punters to follow his horses.
Waller had only the one winner at the Gosford Cup meeting and that was the $15 outsider Sun God in the Listed Luskin Star. Not only did he upstage the best backed runner of the meeting Linebacker (third at $2.25FAV) BUT left more fancied stable runner Captain Furai (ninth) in his dust. Sun God was hard to find for those who follow the form. He had won only one of six starts fresh and had never won below a mile so the trip was considered too short.
The $26 to $6 plunge on Waller debutante Cucina in the Listed Woodlands Stakes was way off the mark despite some nice trials when the Godolphin-owned filly was the first beaten a ran last. Stewards reported: CUCINA: Near the 800m brushed with Found The Gold. Jockey Sam Clipperton reported that the filly raced greenly and endured a wide run throughout. He said after being bumped by Tennessee River near the 300m, the filly became unbalanced and gave no response from that point. A post-race veterinary examination revealed no abnormalities.
The Waller favourite Man Of Worth raced wide, ran midfield in the fifth and was never a chance. Stewards reported: Apprentice Siena Grima reported that she endeavoured to obtain cover near midfield in accordance with her instructions. She said however that when unable to achieve this, Man of Worth was required to race wide and without cover throughout the event which impacted on its finishing effort.
### WALLER DELIVERED EVEN MORE MISERY FOR PUNTERS ON 10,000 DAY
MOVING on to 10,000 Day and Waller delivered a real spanking to the punters. It started well enough with ESTREMO, rated by the stable a Stradbroke hope, won the Three-Year-Old courtesy of a copybook Ben Melham ride. The rot set in with CIGAR FLICK, a costly conveyance on so many occasions for punters, winning the Bright Shadow. As Waller explained the mare, which did not fire last campaign, had won two of six fresh and likes the wet. If the stable was so confident how come she started at $18?
‘Walley World’ saved his best for last telling the punters to back Derby hope Providence in the Rough Habit Plate. He started favourite and ran third – wait for it – to second string stablemate KILMAN which led from the outside 16 alley and never looked like getting beaten at $26. In hindsight those odds were overs considering had ran second in the wet in the G3 Carbine Club. But he hadn’t won for 436 days. DOWN to MELBOURNE and Waller delivered another knockout blow to punters when NAINA won the third at $41. Jockey Jye McNeill described it as a ‘bit of a surprise’ and the stable rep suggested the mare had improved from last campaign – obviously!
### WALLER BECOMING COMEBACK KING WITH WINS BY ROUGHIES
REGULAR contributor PETER MAIR, from Sydney but watching the racing action while holidaying in France, suggested, under the heading: THE SUPERLATIVES KEEP COMING:
KILMAN TAKES CONTROL IN ROUGH HABIT TRIUMPH at $25. THE win gave Waller his fourth consecutive success in the race and further enhanced Kilman’s staying credentials after strong recent performances in both the G3 Carbine Club Stakes and G2 Queensland Guineas.
CIGAR FLICK EXPLODES FRESH IN BRIGHT SHADOW at $20. ……… Chris Waller-trained Cigar Flick produced a sharp finishing burst to claim her Maiden Stakes victory in the Listed Bright Shadow at Doomben.
THE stable won Race 3 at Flemington with NAINA at $40. IN his preview on Thursday, Waller wrote: “I think she probably needs the run.”
SYDNEY: R10 Sun God first-up at $15 the last at Scone over 1300 — double-acceptor scratched from Friday when Waller said: He’s drawn well over 1300m. No (not too short).
DOOMBEN R6 – Cigar Flick won first-up at $20. Waller: “Tricky gate, but she runs well fresh. If there’s a bit of rain about it won’t worry her, will it?”
DOOMBEN R9 won by Kilman at $25. Waller: “Didn’t handle the track in the Queensland Guineas and still ran 4th. He’s going to need every bit of Ryan Maloney’s magic from that gate.”
### LGHR ADVICE FOR FOLLOWING THE WALLER STABLE RUNNERS
As the authorities (or bookies) don’t see fit to bracket multiple stable runners, here’s the LGHR advice when it involves the Waller stable:
* **DON’T BET.**
* **IF YOU MUST** – have a saver on the second strings or ignore the favourite altogether.
* **TAKE YOUR HEARING AID OUT** when Waller or ‘Sir Charles’ are assessing the stable prospects.
Nothing will change, the mainstream media will continue to focus solely on his major training triumphs and the stewards will do next to nothing about the bad rides and form reversals.
HOOFNOTE: The unsung heroes of the Rothfire success story are the breeders – Wally and Jill Gleeson and family. As one of their biggest supporters suggested: THIS exceptionally well-bred steed is among Chinchilla’s fines exports, alongside George Miller, Pete Murray, the humble watermelon, petrified wood, coal seam gas and the Clark and Gleeson families.
