Summer Flame ignites with a boilover stakes win at Scone
When was the last time Chris Waller trained a feature race winner at odds of $61?
This was a question many were asking after Waller's filly Summer Flame scored a huge upset in the Listed $200,000 Denise's Joy Stakes (1100m) at Scone on Saturday.
The champion trainer's runners are usually near the top of betting in stakes races but Summer Flame got under everyone's guard – well, almost everyone.
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Waller's stable representative Charlie Duckworth revealed the trainer had been quietly confident on race morning about Summer Flame's chances.
'I was walking in from the track (Rosehill) with Chris this morning and he was actually tipping the filly,' Duckworth said.
'I guess it is hard to work out where that Melbourne form lines up here but she's always shown promise.
'She came up from Melbourne where she performed well in all three starts last preparation and although it was obviously a big step up to Listed grade, she has taken that in her stride.'
Summer Flame, ridden by Jeff Penza, scored the biggest upset win of the Scone two-day carnival, when she was given the run of the race, saving ground near the rails and holding on to win by a neck from the fast-finishing $4.60 equal favourites Gerringong and Thames, who had a half neck separating them on the line.
• Stakes success for filly on her way to Stardom
The Denise's Joy Stakes produced another remarkably close finish with less than a length covering the top six finishers.
Penza, one of the NSW racing's most experienced jockeys and the winner of more than 2300 races, rides primarily on the provincial and country circuit but answered an SOS from Waller to ride trackwork Saturday morning and then travel to Scone for two rides including Summer Flame for the stable.
'Jeff rode four horses work for us this morning then went home to ride his two showjumpers before he travelled here to Scone,' Duckworth said.
'He's a hard worker who helps out whenever we ask him so it's great to reward him with this win.'
Penza said he wanted to ride a conservative race on Summer Flame, as instructed, but the filly jumped well from barrier three and virtually put herself into the race.
'In this class of race, we expected her to get back and I was just going to hold her together,' Penza said.
• Munce hails 'great supporter' as colt continues surge
'But she jumped so well and got into a lovely rhythm. The further we went the better she travelled.
'Coming to the turn she was on the bit looking for somewhere to go. We got the run through on straightening and away she went. She fought hard and was very good on the line.'
Duckworth said he was unsure of immediate plans for Summer Flame but the filly has almost certainly added her name to Waller's Brisbane carnival team.
Meanwhile, Waller's top mare Joliestar is due to barrier trial at Canterbury on Monday in preparation for the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 31.
But with wet weather forecast in Sydney, the trials could be in some doubt which will mean Waller will need to come up with an alternative plan for the brilliant mare.
'If the trials don't go ahead Monday, we could either jump her out on Tuesday or there are Rosehill trials on Friday,' Duckworth said.
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