Waller to dominate Qld staying races

Champion trainer Chris Waller has no intentions to ease up on his domination of Brisbane middle distance and staying races.

Waller finished sixth on the Queensland metropolitan trainers premiership last season with 40 winners, 24 in middle distance races.

The eight time-Sydney premier trainer, who has a Gold Coast satellite stable, capped a great Brisbane season with his stayers, winning the Group One Doomben Cup (Comin’ Through) and Group One Queensland Oaks (Youngstar).

He is set to provide half the field of 10 runners in the BMW Brisbane Open Handicap (2050m) at Doomben on Saturday with Montauk, Vassal, Tumultuous, Irish Optimism and My Giuliano.

Waller’s Queensland stable manager Paul Shailer said Waller had set out to attack the longer distance races in Queensland when he established the Gold Coast operation 12 months ago.

“There are plenty of staying races here to suit our horses. They can work in with the programs in Sydney,” Shailer said.

“Chris has the knack of picking the right horses for the right races and he has put a lot of thought into our operation here.”

Shailer said Saturday’s race was a perfect example as all the runners looked nicely placed.

“We tend to use the same formula of getting them fit and using senior jockeys,” he said.