Life Less Ordinary faces acid test

Trainer Chris Waller will have five runners in the Group Three Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick.

Life Less Ordinary has an opportunity to mark himself down for an above average spring campaign if his promising transition from English racing continues at Randwick.

Chris Waller welcomed the six-year-old gelding to his Rosehill stable a year ago and after an acclimatisation process, Life Less Ordinary had a three-race preparation highlighted by a win on debut at Caulfield in February.

He resumed in Benchmark 90 class last month and a fifth in the Group Two Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) behind Winx had Waller optimistic about his chances in the Group Three Kingston Town Stakes.

“Saturday is a big race for him. It will be telling us whether he’s on track for some Group One targets later in the spring,” Waller said.

“Antonio Giuseppe is our best chance. He’s drawn well (5), his two runs back have been fantastic and 2000 metres will suit.”

Waller has five runners in the 11-strong field headed by Antonio Giuseppe, who has drawn another unfavourable barrier.

The gelding was hampered by a wide gate before rallying to finish fourth in the Chelmsford and will start from the outside gate on Saturday.

“It’s a shame he’s drawn so wide because he’s ready to win,” Waller said.

“He’s come up to a more suitable distance. He just needs an ounce of luck from the gate.”

Waller gave veteran stayer Who Shot Thebarman a pass mark for his ninth in the Chelmsford and said he would improve as he went up in distance.

He had the same forecast for Libran who was sixth first-up in the Chelmsford after being hampered early.

“He ran through the line well and his work’s been good since,” Waller said.

Kinema started this campaign with a seventh in the Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury on August 24.

“We’ll need 2400-plus to get the best from him,” he said.