Trainer Chris Waller is happy with his decision to scratch Boban from the Warwick Stakes and believes that the talented gelding will be very tough to beat in the 2014 Memsie Stakesat Caulfield on Saturday.
Boban will return to Melbourne racing for the first time since his Emirates Stakes triumph in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Boban started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a fast-finishing fourth in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9 and was set to step-up to 1400 metres for the Group 2 Warwick Stakes at the same venue on Saturday, but was removed from the field due to heavy track.
Boban has generally been restricted to four or five runs a preparation since joining the Waller stable at the end of 2012 and the leading Sydney trainer told TVN that there was no point wasting one of the Bernardini gelding’s spring runs on an unsuitable surface.
“You are limited with how many runs you get out of a horse like that as well,” Waller said.
“I would say he would be peaking around third or fourth run and we don’t want to waste any runs.
“You can get away with it with horses that aren’t quiet at that level, but at the elite level everything needs to be in their favor and they need to be at their 100 percent best every time.
“I was pleased that I scratched him and he should be very hard to beat in what looks like a really good race on Saturday.”
Boban made his racing debut under the care of Anthony Freedman in Melbourne, but recorded just two wins from eight starts before living up to his potential during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival where he took out both the Epsom Handicap and the Emirates Stakes under the care of Waller.
The five-year-old has had just two starts in Melbourne since joining the Waller stable and he recorded impressive wins in both; storming home from the tail of the field to win the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 19 before carrying 57 kilograms to victory in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 9.
Waller also included Foreteller in the nominations for the Memsie Stakes and he is set to take his place in the field for the Group 1 event after he resumed with a fast-finishing fourth in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 16.
