Seven-year old gelding Life Less Ordinary is one of seven international raiders set to contest tomorrow’s $350,000 Ballarat Cup, a race champion trainer Chris Waller has claimed only once before.

The veteran Irish stayer carries topweight as he prepares to step up beyond the 2000m distance for the first time since 2017, but after this year’s Wagga Cup (2000m) winner originally opened at $5.50 odds with Ladbrokes, Life Less Ordinary has since drifted out to $8.00 prior to tomorrow’s race.

Despite no love from punters, Waller thinks the favourable barrier 7 should present plenty of winning opportunities.

“He looks to be well placed in this race with his good draw, obviously he carries 60kg but he is a big, strong horse” Waller said on Friday.

After running second in the listed Cup Day Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington, there’s no doubt the distance is the biggest hindrance to Life Less Ordinary’s chances. Waller’s hopeful won three races beyond 2300m in England during the early stages of his career, but has since looked more comfortable racing just over a mile.

“The biggest query is the distance and despite winning over two mile in England he has shown to me that he has been more effective over the 1800m to 2000m range” Waller went on to say.

“That is my only query but he should get a nice run with Dwayne Dunn who has been successful on the horse in the past. His last two runs during Cup week were obviously in good quality races and he ran with plenty of merit.”

Life Less Ordinary stepped up to the 2000m mark in the Group 3 Coongy Cup earlier in October to run third. He struggled for luck down the straight, but ran encouraging sectionals, including the fastest final furlong of the race.

Waller’s only Ballarat Cup win came in 2016 with Junoob. 

Darren Weir trained Lucky For All remains this year’s favourite at $4.20.