A preparation of frustration has had a happy ending for connections of Chrysaor after the colt gave Star Thoroughbreds a feature race double on the Spring Champion Stakes program.
Trainer Chris Waller had been struggling to get the best out of the three-year-old, prompting him to make a raft of gear changes for Saturday’s Callander-Presnell (1600m) – replacing a lugging bit with a norton bit and removing his visors – and the ploy worked.
Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth said the stable had never lost faith in Chrysaor, who had shown above-average ability from the outset.
“Jay Ford trialled him at Warwick Farm one day back as a two-year-old and he got off and said, ‘this is a Group One horse’,” Duckworth recalled.
“We have always had faith in him. This preparation hasn’t worked out how we envisaged which is why he’s been up and down in distances and we’ve been playing around with gear, so it’s a great result to get his head in front.
“Star Thoroughbreds are having an absolute fillip.”
Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds captured the $2 million The Invitation (1400m) with Espiona a race earlier before adding the $1 million Callander-Presnell in an afternoon Martin described as one of her most memorable on a racecourse.
“It was just such a lovely race for him today,” Martin said.
“I said to Chris (Waller), if he doesn’t perform today maybe geld and Magic Millions, but maybe we might have plan B now.”
Giving Tyler Schiller the middle-leg of Randwick treble, Chrysaor ($26) scored by a half-head over stablemate Snowman ($7) with Ducasse ($11) a short neck back in third.
Favourite Arctic Glamour finished sixth with jockey Kerrin Mcevoy reporting she was slightly disappointing late after he had to bullock her into the clear but was a filly to follow in the future.
“I just had to force into a clear run at the top of the lane which probably wasn’t to our liking,” McEvoy said.
“I would have just liked to have seen her round it off a little bit better.
“I still think a mile is fine, it’s just whether she can go further on into this preparation. The best is still ahead of her.”