Trainer Chris Waller produced a masterstroke with a gear change and a drop in distance as Imperialist win the Rough Habit
Most punters were probably hoping that a Chris Waller -trained horse won the $250,000 Group 3 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben on Saturday but they wouldn't have expected it to be Imperialist.
Sydney's premier trainer Waller had four horses in the 2000m race, headlined by three-year-old filly Belle Detelle, who started the contest as the $3 favourite but got too far back at the start and was never in contention as $71 shot Imperialist pulled off a massive upset.
With Tommy Berry riding, the three-year-old gelding finished ahead of fellow roughie, Queenslander Deep Focus ($81), and the John O'Shea and Tom Charlton -trained King Of Thunder ($7.50) on the Heavy 8 track.
Imperialist, by Churchill, races in the colours of Brisbane larrikin owner Noel Greenhalgh, who won the 2022 Melbourne Cup as a part-owner of Gold Trip.
The gelding was coming off a disappointing ninth in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) this month at Eagle Farm so punters can be excused for steering well clear of him.
'We didn't know what to do with him after his last start, we tried blinkers and it didn't work,' Waller said.
'So we took them off and suggested to Tommy that we ride him a bit closer to the speed today.
'He had a nice soft time up front and it sparked some interest. He brought some good form to Sydney from Melbourne, but then didn't quite stay the 2400 metres.
'We'll try to make him stay now. I'll have a chat to Tommy (Berry) to see what he says, but I do have some concerns over the 2400 metres.
'The Churchills tend to be slightly speedier horses, so we'll have a think over the next few days about whether or not we go there (to the Queensland Derby).'
Imperialist adds some value to the Doomben quaddie, taking out the last at Doomben at a big price! ðŸ'° @TommyBerry21 @cwallerracing pic.twitter.com/Js28JHIHcD
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025
Imperialist has firmed to $15 for the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31.
Berry said he was happy to finish Doomben 10,000 day on a high note after riding his first winner in this year's Queensland Winter Carnival.
'Full credit to the team at home, this horse has always had ability but it hasn't been easy to get the best out of him,' Berry said.
'Chris took the blinkers back off and we just changed things up a little bit in the hope that we'd get a result.
'He's the best trainer of stayers around, so if he thinks he can get the horse to stay, then he can get the horse to stay.
'I've had a bit of luck in these colours in the past but it's been a while, so it was nice to salute in them again today.'
Trainer Paul Shailer was delighted with the outstanding run of Deep Focus, who started big odds but charged home and is now a $15 chance for the Queensland Derby.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Departing star Adrian Segecic claims Sydney FC player-of-the-year honours
Europe-bound Adrian Segecic has farewelled Sydney FC in style, winning the Sky Blues' player-of-the-season award. Segecic, who has been linked with Austrian club Rapid Vienna, was also awarded the members' best player and Golden Boot gongs at Wednesday night's Sky Blue Ball. 'It's a huge honour to be recognised like this,' said the 21-year-old attacking weapon, who scored 18 goals in all competitions for Sydney in the club's 2024-25 campaign, 'This club means so much to me. I've been here since I was 12-years old and I've worked really hard this season with the support of my teammates and the staff. 'I'm grateful to the members and fans who've been behind us every step of the way.' Segecic's superb individual season had already secured him joint A-League Golden Boot honours with Adelaide United marksman Archie Goodwin. Sydney's women's player-of-the-season award was won by captain Natalie Tobin, who made a successful comeback from a serious knee injury. for the second time,' Tobin said. next season.'
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Queensland legend Gorden Tallis calls out Blues enforcer Spencer Leniu
Maroons legend Gorden Tallis has called out Blues bench enforcer Spencer Leniu for coming on 'after all the tough stuff is done'. Tallis dared NSW to pick Leniu as injured prop Mitch Barnett's replacement in the starting side for Game 2 and play him for 80 minutes. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer > It comes in the wake of Queensland controversially not kicking off to Leniu in the series opener to avoid having to tackle the fresh front-rower charging off the back fence. That was after the state's biggest newspaper, The Courier Mail, ran a back page photo of Leniu the day before the game with the headline 'Smash this Blues Grub'. 'I think Spencer Leniu should start and play 80 minutes,' Tallis said on NRL 360 on Wednesday night, which prompted chuckles from his fellow panellists. 'What, can't he play 80 minutes?' 'Will they kick off to him?' James Hooper fired back. Tallis replied: 'Yeah absolutely. If he comes on and starts with those guys in the middle, I'm sure you'd kick to him. '(Instead he) comes on after all the tough stuff is done, after 25 minutes. Start him and play him 80 minutes.' 'You're suggesting he ducks the hard stuff,' Dave Riccio said. 'I never said that. What's so hard? The game goes for 80 minutes,' Tallis responded. 'Why would he play 80 minutes?' Braith Anasta asked. 'Because that's how long the game goes for,' Tallis said. 'If you guys didn't duck the hard stuff you would have kicked the ball to him. What front-rower in the game plays 80 minutes?' Hooper said. 'Payne Haas does. Don't bag your own teammates,' Tallis said sarcastically. 'I'd pick him and play him 80 minutes but all of you three said he can't. They've got no faith in you, Spencer.' 'You're suggesting he's not tough enough,' Riccio said. 'It's only 80 minutes,' Tallis reiterated. 'But he's only playing 25 off the bench,' Riccio replied. 'Oh right, cool,' Tallis said again sarcastically. The Courier Mail headline came six weeks after Leniu's verbal spat with Maroons legend Johnathan Thurston at Suncorp Stadium, the same venue that hosted Game 1. Leniu's hostility centred around Thurston's comments on the Roosters hard man's eight-game ban for calling Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam a 'monkey' in Round 1 last year. Mam was then suspended for nine games this season after being responsible for a drug-driving car crash that injured several people.
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
Tassie Devils CEO Brendon Gale responds to AFL club's ‘giant mess'
Tassie Devils chief executive Brendon Gale put on a brave face on Wednesday evening amid explosive reports the expansion AFL club is fighting for survival. While a 'very optimistic' Gale spoke confidently about the club being 'on track' and even ahead of schedule, he did float the possibility the club's controversial stadium – if it does go ahead – may not be ready to launch in 2028. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The AFL's 19th franchise went public with a plea to state government figures after Tasmanian Labor on Tuesday filed a no-confidence motion against Premier Jeremy Rockliff. The extraordinary development means Tasmanians could be heading back to the polls if another election is called. The move comes amid allegations the Rockliff Government has mismanaged the Apple Isle's budget and bungled key infrastructure projects, including the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium. That's the venue the Devils hope to call home when they enter the AFL in 2028. Rockliff has been one of the emerging football club's strongest supporters — even in a climate where there has been widespread anger towards the planned $1 billion stadium. Kath McCann, the Devils' general manager of marketing, corporate affairs and social impact, on Wednesday broke down in tears at a press conference. Pressure is seemingly building on the club's entry to the competition, but 56-year-old Tasmanian Gale adopted a confident tone when he discussed the precarious situation on AFL 360. 'There's some uncertainty around the leadership of government and … there's a vote of no confidence in the premier,' he began. 'But as far as we're concerned, it's business as usual. 'We're getting on with the business, we have to, of building an organisation and building teams. 'Clearly our existence is conditioned upon the delivery of a stadium and that's an agreement between the AFL and the state government and that stadium needs to clear passage of both Houses of Parliament. 'That process is underway at the moment and that process will run its course, that hasn't changed. 'There's some uncertainty around leadership and maybe the composition of parliament, but that really hasn't changed. 'We've just got to get on with the job and controlling things we can control.' The AFL has always maintained a Tasmanian team entering the AFL was dependant on a new stadium being built in Hobart. The Macquarie Point project has been highly divisive right from the start and that was before estimated costs first began to blow out from an initial figure of $755 million. It was revealed last month the total cost of the project has blown out to at least $945 million. The Tasmanian state government has pledged $375 million towards the roofed, harbour-front stadium, while the federal government has committed to $240 million. The AFL body's $15 million contribution has also been made public, leaving more than over $300m remaining to be funded through state borrowings. Gale was asked if he felt any unease about the budget blowout. 'Not really,' he said. 'Sorry it's a significant amount of money, but I was aware, I had line of sight. 'And to be fair, when I saw the original quotes three years ago, anyone who's anyone involved in any form of construction or development would be aware of escalation rates the last three or four years. 'So that number was always skinny and always going to be a bigger number. 'It's a big cost, but it's a huge investment, it's a really important investment and it's an investment the government has deemed to be worth making. 'We need as a state to continue to invest in growth.' Gale then talked through the obstacles facing the club in relation to the stadium and the Tasmanian government. 'At the moment it's on track,' he said. 'It's in parliament now, the legislation which enables the whole development is in parliament and it's been debated and scrutinised. 'It'll need to clear the Lower House and enter the Upper House in late July and if it's cleared, the government walks away with a set of planning approvals really. 'In that respect, were that to take place, it's probably ahead of course. 'It may not be ready by round one, 2028, but there's a process to accommodate that as well. 'As soon as possible is best for us and the AFL and the Tasmanian community, but it's on track.' Gale remains confident the club will proceed as planned, regardless of who leads the state, declaring it has 'broadbase political support'. He also emphasised the opportunity the Devils can provide. 'It's not about football, it's about the potential to lift this whole state, and we believe in that,' he said. 'You just saw the response of Kath McCann, it's a responsibility that sits heavily with us.' An emotional McCann had to compose herself before addressing the media earlier on Wednesday. 'This club is powered by future generations,' she said. 'I've got 50 students out here in my sight line, they power us every single day and they will keep doing that. 'We're going to play on. We want to see this team become a reality because our young people deserve it.' The football club also released a media statement confessing the political turbulence is threatening the club's survival. Leading Tasmanian sport journalist Brent Costelloe on Tuesday night told Channel 9 it is a 'giant mess'. The ABC's Chris Rowbottom also described the precarious position the club finds itself in on X. 'Tasmania's AFL license hangs by the barest of threads,' Rowbottom posted. 'There's an acceptance that an early election spells the end of any stadium, including alternate proposals, and the Devils.' He earlier reported there was a widely held view the 'Devils will be dead' if a state election is called. Gale spoke at length about the difficulties in convincing Tasmanians of the stadium proposal, describing them as 'always big, they're expensive and there's always a whole range of other priorities'. He also said existing stadiums in Hobart and Launceston aren't 'fit for the purpose of providing a sustainable, commercial business model to underpin a team in the big league on a sustainable basis'. But the former Richmond player and chief executive reiterated his confidence in the project moving forward. 'Recent events might create some more uncertainty, but no I think parliament is very supportive,' he said. 'Even this motion brought in the last 24 hours, wasn't about football or about the stadium, it was about some budgetary concerns, but I guess it sparked this chain reaction. 'So I'm confident the more people in the community understand the importance of the stadium, how it's critical to meet the commercial, financial requirements of a team in the biggest sporting competition in Australia, the more they understand how it will unlock a whole range of other financial, economic, social, cultural benefits, the more people are open to changing their minds and supporting of it.
