Early November marks Australia’s most significant racing event, the Melbourne Cup. This day truly captivates the nation, so much so that you’ll find many Australian online casinos giving away a celebratory no deposit bonus to players to play horse racing-themed pokies on this day It’s a momentous occasion that not only showcases the nation’s love for horse racing but also provides an exciting opportunity for casino enthusiasts to join in the festivities.
This year, the Melbourne Cup brought both excitement and disappointment for Chris Waller, a Hall of Fame trainer in Australia. His entry, Soulcombe, secured a respectable second-place finish but fell short of victory. Nevertheless, there remains a sense of optimism that this talented four-year-old contender will continue to develop and aspire to claim the top spot in future editions at Flemington. Carry on reading to learn more about Waller’s career as a trainer and find out more about his notable runners.
Animals always surrounded Waller from a young age, as he grew up on his parents’ dairy farm in Himatangi. However, his fascination with horse racing started from a young age, as he regularly watched the Melbourne Cup with his family, citing Kiwi’s win in the 1983 Melbourne Cup as one of his biggest influences. His first steps in the sport were made in the early 90s, as he worked at Patrick Busuttin’s yard.
He would take the reins on the operation in the late 90s after Busuttin decided to move to Singapore. Waller wouldn’t take long to claim his first winner, as Go Morgan opened his account at Trentham Racecourse in 1997. First graded success would soon follow in 2000, as Ripon By landed glory in the G3 Dunedin Gold Cup.
Waller’s first talented horse came in 1998, as he trained Party Belle, who would compete frequently at tracks in New South Wales. She enjoyed an excellent debut campaign on track, winning three races in Australia at Wyong.
Party Belle continued to impress as her career advanced, steadily rising through the racing ranks before facing challenging competition in a listed event at Randwick. Following a stint in New Zealand that yielded modest results, she returned to Sydney during the winter and secured three additional victories in 1999.
Waller’s standing in the sport grew during the early 2000s, as he applied for 20 boxed at Rosehill and began training at the facility despite having limited funds to build up his training operation. However, his success on track would ensure that he would begin to be regarded as one of the top trainers in Australia. After a long wait, he would claim a first Group 1 success in April 2008, as Triple Honour landed the spoils in the Doncaster Handicap.
This notable success ensured that he could increase his operation, with stables quickly being opened on the Gold Coast, Warwick Farm, and Flemington.
Waller’s record on track continued to impress, and it wasn’t long before he was landing Group 1 success regularly. That was evident in 2021, as he clocked up a 125th win in Group One company when Kolding won the All-Aged Stakes. However, his wait for a Melbourne Cup success would continue until the 2021 edition.
Verry Elleegant would finally bring the long-desired victory in the race he had always aspired to win, as the mare claimed success in 2021. Her excellent performances saw her named the Australian Racehorse of the Year and was the fitting end to her campaign on track. After that win, the mare continued to achieve success on the track, landing the Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick. However, as a seven-year-old, she would ultimately fall short in international races, finishing out of the top three in the G1 British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes and the G1 Prix de Royallieu.
Waller’s most successful horse in history is Winx, who won an incredible 37 of her 43 career starts. Her record on track was staggering, winning each of her last 33 races in succession. Over that period, she landed a world record tally of 25 Group 1 victories and was successful over distances ranging from 1300 to 2200 metres.
She was named the best racehorse in the world in successful years in 2017 and 2018 and was later inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, becoming the first active competitor to achieve that feat. During her career on track, she landed Chipping Norton Stakes success on four occasions, winning the W.S. Cox Plate and the George Ryder Stakes on four occasions. Her notable wins also included victories in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, George Main Stakes, and Caulfield Stakes.
There have been fewer successful trainers in horse racing than Waller, and his dominance shows no sign of stopping in this modern era. However, all eyes will be back on Flemington next year as he bids to win the Melbourne Cup for the second time.
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