Waller absent from first stakes races

Thursday 4 August 2016, 1:16pm

The first stakes races of the new Sydney racing season has one glaring omission - no runners from Sydney's premier stable.

Chris Waller dominated black-type races in 2015/16, training 57 stakes winners including 15 at Group One level.

But he is in no hurry to open his account in the Group Two Missile Stakes and Listed Rosebud at Randwick on Saturday.

Waller said he considered running Group One-winning sprinter Japonisme in the Missile but would rather wait a few more weeks to kick off his spring campaign.

He was also tempted to run some of the stable's newly turned three-year-olds in the Rosebud including the Group Two-placed Omei Sword, a filly on a Flight Stakes path.

"It's still very early in the season," Waller said.

"A lot of their coats are still coming through."

"Winx is ready to go but it makes it too long a season if we start now."

The champion mare galloped at Rosehill on Wednesday as she continues working towards her first-up run in the Warwick Stakes at Randwick on August 20 and Cox Plate defence in October.

"She'll have another gallop on Saturday and trial next week," Waller said.

While the stable will have no runners in the feature races at the first Group meeting in Sydney since April, Waller has a host of chances to add to the two wins he started the season with at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Stakes-placed Wudang Mountain resumes over 1200m on Saturday.

English import Quick Defence, coming off a dominant midweek win at Canterbury, headlines Waller's three chances in the Wallaby Cup (1600m).

"Normally once those European horses find their winning form they can maintain it and improve," he said.

Waller said while it would be a delicate process to keep the preparation going through to spring, the horse could tackle stakes races.

Harlem Lady will be on a one-week back up after a last-start win and Firebird Flyer is looking for three wins in a row.

They will go up against stablemate Defrost My Heart in the fillies and mares race over 1800m, while Thurston is set to run in the staying contest (2400m).

– AAP

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