Chris Meagher to make own name

Chris Meagher will take another step in his training career when he has his first Queensland metropolitan runners in his own name at the Gold Coast.

He will saddle Monteux (Open Handicap), Gatlinburg (Benchmark 90), and Tap This (Benchmark 80) on Saturday.

Meagher has an extensive background as a trainer in partnership with his father trainer John and brother Dan.

The trio trained in Singapore before setting up a joint venture at Eagle Farm in 2012.

When Dan returned to Singapore in 2016, Chris joined him but has since returned to Australia to take over the Meagher family’s Australian operation.

“We have 12 horses at Eagle Farm and also about the same number at Mornington in Victoria. The Mornington stable is starting to build up and things are coming together,” Chris Meagher said.

The Australian horses had been in the name of John Meagher until two weeks ago.

The trainer of 1982 Melbourne Cup winner What A Nuisance, John Meagher will still be involved in the stable as a consultant.

Sprinter Savanna Amour has already given Chris Meagher a Group Three win at Caulfield on September 23 adding to her Cockram Stakes win for the partnership.

“The horses have been transferred into my name and Dad will stay on as a consultant. I have had two runners in my own name at the midweek meetings,” Chris Meagher said.

“But the runners on Saturday will be the first in my name in Queensland at a metropolitan meeting. Apart from coming back from the Singapore heat to the Melbourne cold things have been going well.”

Bridget Grylls is back from testing the water in Melbourne with the Meagher stable to ride Gatlinburg and Tap This while Michael Cahill will be aboard Monteux.

All three of Meagher’s Gold Coast runners are owned by Paul Fudge’s Waratah Thoroughbreds.