Trainer Chris Waller quietly rolls out star mare Via Sistina at Randwick trials
As expected, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner was given a quiet hitout, finishing at the back of the field along with high-profile stablemate Fangirl.
Trainer Chris Waller is preparing both mares for a return in the opening major of the Sydney season on August 23, while his Australian Derby winner Aeliana and top filly Lady Shenandoah, who is set to barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Friday, could also resume there.
Tuesday's 850m heat was taken out by The Novelist with Godolphin pair Tom Kitten and Zardozi finishing fifth and sixth respectively.
Aeliana was given an easy time in her heat, finishing at the tail of the second Group Trial taken out by Palmetto, with the former's stablemate Autumn Glow third and Golden Slipper runner-up Wodeton sixth.
Waller is looking forward to seeing the progression Wodeton can make into his three-year-old season and has earmarked the Golden Rose (1400m) as a likely target for the Coolmore colt.
'It's exciting for the two-year-olds turning into three,' Waller said.
'He looks like he has come back really well and he'll go towards a Golden Rose.
'I think 1400 will suit him.'
Wodeton had five starts as a juvenile, scoring at Rosehill on debut in January and placing at his next three starts before rounding out his preparation with a fourth in the ATC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) in April.
Waller has still to settle on where Wodeton will run first-up but anticipates he will be ready to resume next month.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
17 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Kembla preview: Commanding Belle ready to chime again
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Robert and Luke Price already have their third straight Kembla trainers premiership wrapped up but are still keen to end the season on a winning note. Headlining the attack for the father and son duo is well-bred filly Commanding Belle who broke through for his first win on her home track nine days ago. After tracking the speed, she eased wide off the bend and quickly raced away to score by a length-and-a-half. 'She was impressive the other day. It was good for her to get a two-year-old win but she got a whole lot of rating points for her trouble,' said Robert Price. Commanding Belle had shown nice ability in placing in two of her first four starts including a third to Rivellino on debut at Randwick. The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! She was also much better than her second placings at Canterbury and in the Group 3 Magic Night at Rosehill to end her first campaign. The daughter of Golden Slipper winner Farnan returns to the same track and distance in the Midway Class 1 Handicap (1300m). 'She is a racing against the older horses this week but she does get a bit of weight relief being a two-year-old and a filly,' Price said. 'She has come through the run very well and he last bit of work on Thursday morning was really nice. 'She will turn up with bells on.' Price said it would pay to forget the last run of Jamarni when he tackles the Class 1 Handicap (1500m). The son of Pride Of Dubai was held up behind runners and wasn't able to be tested when ninth to Autumn Dream last week. Prior to that, he placed in consecutive runs over 1300m before scoring his first win over 1500m in a Super Maiden at Hawkesbury. 'He got trapped in behind them and was a victim of horses coming back in his lap,' he said. 'He was a little bit shy in amongst them the other day and needs some sort of head gear so we have elected to go with the winkers this week. 'It's quite a strong race but he is in it up to his ears. 'He worked nicely on Thursday morning and should have no trouble with the quick back-up because he didn't get knocked around the other day. 'He has drawn a nice, soft gate to get a good run and he will be very competitive.' The stable is chasing a reward with both Zoustrong and Autumn Heir in the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series Provincial Maiden Handicap (1500m). Zoustrong only made his race debut on June 27 at Moruya where he finished seventh behind Teepee Princess before an improved run when third to Commanding Belle. 'We are asking a lot of him. It's only his third race start but he raced well the other day,' said Price. 'We are talking a leap of faith with him because it's an Inglis Bonus race which he is eligible for. 'I think he is going to be positive with us not wanting him to be because of the way raced last start. 'He has come through the run with flying colours so we are happy to give him his chance.' Autumn Heir is also in his first campaign but has had a little more race experience with four runs, finishing just behind the placegetters in his last two. 'He will be some sort of chance in this race too. He never had a whole pile of luck the other day. 'He is going to want 2000 metres eventually but we have kept him nice and fresh. Hopefully he is sharp enough for the 1500 metres.'
News.com.au
20 hours ago
- News.com.au
Kembla preview: Commanding Belle heads Robert and Luke Price's quest for a triumphant season finale
Robert and Luke Price already have their third straight Kembla trainers premiership wrapped up but are still keen to end the season on a winning note. Headlining the attack for the father and son duo is well-bred filly Commanding Belle who broke through for his first win on her home track nine days ago. After tracking the speed, she eased wide off the bend and quickly raced away to score by a length-and-a-half. 'She was impressive the other day. It was good for her to get a two-year-old win but she got a whole lot of rating points for her trouble,' said Robert Price. Commanding Belle had shown nice ability in placing in two of her first four starts including a third to Rivellino on debut at Randwick. Commanding Belle (ex Amazing Belle) became FARNAN’s 11th winner today, dominating in Race 1 at @kemblaraces for Robert & Luke Price. She's from the family of 14x G1 winner Melody Belle & stakes-winner Tutukaka. Excited to see what’s to come from her this prep! ðŸ'¥ #FastLikeFarnan â€' Kia Ora Stud (@kiaorastud) July 17, 2025 The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! She was also much better than her second placings at Canterbury and in the Group 3 Magic Night at Rosehill to end her first campaign. The daughter of Golden Slipper winner Farnan returns to the same track and distance in the Midway Class 1 Handicap (1300m). 'She is a racing against the older horses this week but she does get a bit of weight relief being a two-year-old and a filly,' Price said. 'She has come through the run very well and he last bit of work on Thursday morning was really nice. 'She will turn up with bells on.' Price said it would pay to forget the last run of Jamarni when he tackles the Class 1 Handicap (1500m). The son of Pride Of Dubai was held up behind runners and wasn't able to be tested when ninth to Autumn Dream last week. Prior to that, he placed in consecutive runs over 1300m before scoring his first win over 1500m in a Super Maiden at Hawkesbury. 'He got trapped in behind them and was a victim of horses coming back in his lap,' he said. 'He was a little bit shy in amongst them the other day and needs some sort of head gear so we have elected to go with the winkers this week. 'It's quite a strong race but he is in it up to his ears. 🌧ï¸� Cuban Rain sprints away effortlessly to break its maiden at Kembla Grange! Robert & Luke Price grab the quinella! ðŸ'Œ â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 3, 2025 'He worked nicely on Thursday morning and should have no trouble with the quick back-up because he didn't get knocked around the other day. 'He has drawn a nice, soft gate to get a good run and he will be very competitive.' The stable is chasing a reward with both Zoustrong and Autumn Heir in the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series Provincial Maiden Handicap (1500m). Zoustrong only made his race debut on June 27 at Moruya where he finished seventh behind Teepee Princess before an improved run when third to Commanding Belle. 'We are asking a lot of him. It's only his third race start but he raced well the other day,' said Price. 'We are talking a leap of faith with him because it's an Inglis Bonus race which he is eligible for. 'I think he is going to be positive with us not wanting him to be because of the way raced last start. 'He has come through the run with flying colours so we are happy to give him his chance.' Autumn Heir is also in his first campaign but has had a little more race experience with four runs, finishing just behind the placegetters in his last two. 'He will be some sort of chance in this race too. He never had a whole pile of luck the other day.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Lee Freedman will take a step back from training to manage his brother Michael's new satellite stable on the Gold Coast
Five-time Melbourne Cup-winner Lee Freedman will take a step back from training to manage his younger brother Michael's newly announced satellite stable on the Gold Coast. Michael says the 'time is right' to set up an operation consisting of about 30 stables on the Glitter Strip in partnership with his Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman, who will take up the role as stable manager. From the new racing season starting on August 1, Michael Freedman will take over the stables currently occupied by Lee. 'I'll be looking to set up a satellite stable on the Gold Coast,' Sydney trainer Michael Freedman said. 'It's still in the process of being approved (by Racing Queensland) but hopefully next week it'll be finalised. 'I'm looking to send quite a few horses from Sydney up there all-year round to race, ideally in those mid-week and Saturday races. 'It gives me a base for Magic Millions, which is an important carnival now, and helps for the Brisbane winter as well because it's always very difficult to find stabling when you do bring horses up there. 'I think the timing is right and I'm looking forward to it.' Freedman said he was still 'working through' the new arrangement with his 68-year-old brother Lee, who has been training at the Gold Coast since March 2021. 'I think the timing's right and Lee and I had a good meeting about it yesterday (Thursday),' he said. 'I wouldn't probably be even contemplating this if Lee wasn't involved. 'Given that he's at a point where he's happy to be doing something along those lines, then it works well for me.' Freedman is following in the footsteps of Sydney's premier trainer Chris Waller, who also runs a satellite stable on the Gold Coast. In the late 1980s, Michael joined his three older brothers Lee, Anthony and Richard to form a highly successful training partnership that prepared more than 100 Group 1 winners, including five Melbourne Cup champions and four consecutive Golden Slipper winners. Michael spent almost a decade in Singapore and a brief stint in Hong Kong before branching out on his own at Randwick in April 2022 following a partnership with brother Richard which saw the two combine to win the 2021 Golden Slipper with Stay Inside. The highlight of his solo training career came last March when filly Marhoona won the Golden Slipper at Rosehill, just six weeks after making her debut at Canterbury. Michael said he planned to visit the Sunshine State more often once his new operation on the Gold Coast was fully established. 'I'll be looking to come up (to Queensland) a bit more during the year at various times,' he said. 'Certainly winter carnival and Magic Millions will be a key focus for me. 'We've got a couple of horses up there already that might run next Saturday and we'll start to trickle a few more up over the course of the next few weeks.' Gold Coast Turf Club boss Steve Lines said he was delighted to welcome a trainer of Freedman's calibre. 'Michael Freedman is one of the country's most respected horsemen and his decision to set up a stable here is a huge vote of confidence in what the Gold Coast has to offer,' Lines said. 'He joins a strong and growing cohort of top-tier trainers calling the Gold Coast home and will only further strengthen the quality of horses we have racing at the Gold Coast, given Michael's association with Godolphin and other prominent owners.'
