2023 PB Lawrence Stakes Results: Cox Plate Hope Mr Brightside Salutes First-Up
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It’s already been a special Spring for Chris Waller.
History was made on Epsom Handicap day as Waller became the first trainer to win four Group 1’s on the same day. From there, Waller went on to win the world’s richest turf race The Everest with Yes Yes Yes, followed by the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle with Kolding last weekend at Rosehill.
It’s been a whirlwind 12 months for Waller who is still riding the highs of Winx’s legacy. So far this season Waller has won 12% of the races he’s had a runner in and placed in 38%, but the one blemish on the Kiwi’s resume has always been the Melbourne Cup.
Waller will line up a pair of hopefuls in Tuesday’s $7 million race. Finche, who ran fourth in last year’s Cup, is the stables main chance, followed by Youngstar, who finished not far behind in sixth.
Both runners drew well during Saturday’s barrier draw and look a serious chance to challenge the favourites. Finche has remained a steady $10.00 chance in the market at Ladbrokes.com.au after finishing a brave fifth in the Caulfield Cup. The British import drew barrier four, while Youngstar is at long $31.00 odds from gate nine.
Finche’s owner Noel Greenhalgh feels optimistic going into Tuesday’s race knowing his horse can handle the 3200m trip. Form aside though, he also thinks Waller is due to win Australia’s most famous race.
“I just feel like it is going to happen,” Greenhalgh told Chris Waller Racing. “Chris said to us last year the we will be back with this horse and he will be better.
Greenhalgh was the man responsible for drawing barrier four, but the rest is in the hands of in-form jockey Kerrin McEvoy, the man responsible for Cross Counter’s Melbourne Cup win last year.
McEvoy rode Finche to a win at Randwick in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) back in September before being replaced by Damian Lane in the Turnbull and Michael Walker in the Caulfield Cup.
“I have done my part by drawing four and we have the best Melbourne Cup jockey in Kerrin McEvoy.
“The way Chris is going he seems to get everything perfectly right at the moment and I hope it continues on Tuesday,” Greenlagh went on to say.
Who Shot Thebarman was Waller’s best Melbourne Cup result when the crowd favourite ran third back in 2014.
2019 Melbourne Cup markets can be viewed here courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
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