Rejuvenated galloper Kolding led home a Chris Waller quartet to win the Group 1 $500,000 Fujitsu George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick today.
Kolding, above in blue and white colours, leads the Chris Waller trained runners to win the George Main Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Waller saddled up Kolding to win his first race since claiming the $7.5m Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill last November and beat home stablemates Star Of The Seas, Imaging and Verry Elleegant.
Fourth placed Verry Elleegant was the most fancied of Waller’s four runners and was sent out as the $2.20 favourite while Kolding was at the good odds of $9.50.
Runner up Star Of The Seas was at the double figure odds of $12 while Imaging was a $9.50 chance.
Tommy Berry was having his first ride on Kolding and produced a faultless ride, settling the Ocean Park five year old just off the leader Dreamforce ($6) who folded in the straight to finish last in the seven horse field.
Waller said that Kolding had run into a few hurdles since his last win in the Golden Eagle and added that a trip to Melbourne in the Autumn didn’t go to plan and he was reluctant to return to Caulfield.
“He certainly has proven that today (that he is back). In my mind he never left,” Waller said.
“Things haven’t gone his way. You can’t win these races if you aren’t right and we haven’t panicked. Just needed some fine tuning. That has been the main thing our team sticks to. We stick to plans, trying to let things unfold. The four of them went well.”
“Just got to work out his right distance. Follow the WFA path. Big query Melbourne tracks for him. I wouldn’t rule out Moonee Valley or Flemington. He certainly doesn’t like Caulfield.”
Waller said the Verry Elleegant wasn’t comfortable in on the fence but added that the first three placegetter were better than her on the day an she might be better stepping up to 2000m next start.
“I’ve seen the race. She got bottled up on the fence. She hasn’t been the much in her career. She got into a tricky spot,” Waller said.
“You have to be pretty good to get out of those situation respecting the other horses in the race. Maybe we took it a little bit cheap. If the rail is there it is the shortest way home. Stepping up to 2000m next time will be fine.”
