Beiwacht eases but remains favourite for CF Orr Stakes
Leading Australian trainer Chris Waller has two of the top chances in Saturday’s G1 C F Orr Stakes (1400m) at Sandown in Melbourne, Australia, as he bids to equal the world record for the number of Group 1 winners trained in a calendar year.
The current record is held by Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien, who trained 28 winners at the highest level in 2017 and has already equalled that number this year, with opportunities still to add to it.
Waller is hoping the highly fancied Angel Capital ($5) or Beiwacht ($3.30 with Australian betting sites) can give him another Group 1 victory in the eight-horse race hosted at Sandown as the usual venue of Caulfield undergoes track renovations.
James McDonald, who had to be reminded of his last Sandown winner – Who Shot Thebarman in the 2015 G2 Zipping Classic (2400m) – will ride the front-running Beiwacht.
“I got sent a clip about that,” McDonald said of his last Sandown win.
“I looked pretty baby-faced then and it’s good to be back. It’s such a fantastic racecourse, there’s so much room and it’s nice to be here.”
McDonald galloped Beiwacht, who won his third Group 1 race over 1400m four starts ago, at Sandown on Tuesday with Waller looking on.
“He’s a good horse. It’s obviously going to be a strong race but he’s definitely up to that,” McDonald, who is among the world’s top jockeys, said.
Waller will also saddle Angel Capital, who was an impressive Group 1 winner over 1400m before a disappointing eighth to Tempted in the G1 The Everest (1200m). He races well fresh, relishes the distance and will be ridden by Ben Melham.
Ciaron Maher, who trained the trifecta in the G1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), has leading contender Jimmysstar, who won this race last November when he defeated Angel Capital. The seven-year-old gelding returned to form with a Group 1 win at 1200m three starts ago, though he was below his best when missing the start as favourite in the G2 Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) last time out.
Maher is excited by the prospect of Jimmysstar taking full advantage of the long home straight of Sandown’s Hillside track. He believes the chestnut gelding is going as well as he was this time last year.
“The bigger the track, the better for him. I think Sandown won’t be any excuse,” Maher said.
“He’s probably going better than his prep in between, and I think he’s probably going as good as last spring. With a horse like him, you just need things to go your way.”
Bjorn Baker’s Pericles, who broke the Randwick 1300m track record at his last start in a Group 2 and is a Group 1 winner over 1400m at Caulfield, is also expected to warrant respect.
Splash Back resumed with a fifth in a Group 2 over 1200m at Flemington on October 24, after finishing her last campaign with a Group 1 victory over 1400m at Eagle Farm. She has excellent second-up form.
Her trainer Grahame Begg was happy with the way she finished her first-up run, running just behind the fourth-placed Rey Magnerio, who subsequently captured the Listed Century Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.
“She ran very well first up in the McEwen Stakes (G2, 1200m), the form has been franked out of the race with Rey Magnerio,” Begg said. “It was a good race and she’s come on since that run.”
Five-year-old mare Shadhavar, who is aiming for her third consecutive win, and last-start winner War Machine are both in contention.
Shadhavar’s trainer Tom Dabernig said the progeny of his mare’s sire often improve with age.
“She’s by Pride Of Dubai and often they get better as they get older and she’s just improving with every run, so we’re absolutely delighted,” he said.
