Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller has given himself every chance to claim a fourth Epsom Handicap win in the last six years after supplying 23 nominations for the 2018 Spring Carnival Randwick Mile feature.
D’Argento, above, is the early favourite for the 2018 Epsom Handicap at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
A total of 87 horses have nominated for the 2018 Group 1 $1m Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on September 29 with last year’s winner Happy Clapper also among the entries.
Waller won three Epsom Handicaps in row with Boban (2013), He’s Your Man (2014) and Winx (2015) and will have a host of chances to take the winning trophy home again.
The Waller trained D’Argento has been installed the early Epsom Handicap favourite at $6 with Ladbrokes.com.au while last Saturday’s Tramway Stakes winner Comin’ Through is on the third line of betting at $12 with his stablemates Unforgotten and Paret while Tom Melbourne is marked at $18.
The remaining Waller Epsom Handicap nominations include Group 1 winners Egg Tart, Foxplay, Shillelagh and Single Gaze.
James Cummings also has a strong presence with Group 1 winners Hartnell, Kementari and It’s Somewhat included in the Godolphin stable’s eight Epsom Handicap nominations.
The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig have nominated nine horses, Darren Weir has five and the training partnership of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have entered six.
The weights for the 2018 Epsom Handicap will be released on Monday, September 10 with the final field to be declared on Tuesday September 25.
Early betting for the 2018 Epsom Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au: $6 D’Argento, $10 Grunt, Happy Clapper, Kementari, $12 Avilius, Comin’ Through, Hartnell, Humidor, Lanciato, Paret, Unforgotten, $14 Kaonic, Pierata, $16 Best Of Days, $18 Tom Melbourne, $21 Invictus Prince, Le Romain, Sir Plush, $26 Arbeitsam, Champagne Cuddles, Dollar For Dollar, Egg Tart, Sambro, Siege Of Quebec, $41 or better the rest.
Nominations for the 2018 Epsom Handicap (1600m)
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2131222×4 | ANOTHER DOLLAR (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 89 |
| 2 | x4205138x4 | ARBEITSAM | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 3 | 11x3326x11 | AVILIUS (GB) | G | 5 | James Cummings | 103 |
| 4 | 1x03438x71 | BEST OF DAYS (GB) | H | 5 | James Cummings | 92 |
| 5 | 1x11820x50 | CABEZA DE VACA | G | 7 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 6 | 2222x1330x | CHAMPAGNE CUDDLES | M | 4 | Bjorn Baker | 105 |
| 7 | 0x312561x1 | COMIN’ THROUGH | G | 5 | Chris Waller | – |
| 8 | x533x98x06 | DANON LIBERTY (JPN) | H | 7 | Darren Weir | – |
| 9 | 11x13714x3 | D’ARGENTO | H | 4 | Chris Waller | 105 |
| 10 | 143x1636x3 | DIXIE BLOSSOMS | M | 6 | Ron Quinton | – |
| 11 | 1111329×10 | DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR | G | 6 | Tony McEvoy | – |
| 12 | 211x1012x1 | DON’T GIVE A DAMN | G | 5 | Danny Williams | 86 |
| 13 | 1x577421x0 | DUCA VALENTINOIS (IRE) | G | 7 | James Cummings | – |
| 14 | 0x400521x5 | EGG TART | M | 5 | Chris Waller | – |
| 15 | 274340×000 | EMBLEY | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | 94 |
| 16 | 821x0918x4 | FASTNET TEMPEST (IRE) | G | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 17 | 520634x31x | FIERCE IMPACT (JPN) | H | 5 | Matthew Smith | 76 |
| 18 | 2x3x411x24 | FIGHTING HARADA | C | 3 | Mick Price | – |
| 19 | 75x384850x | FOXPLAY | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 108 |
| 20 | 08326×0031 | GOODFELLA | H | 4 | Bjorn Baker | 89 |
| 21 | 3x1111x58 | GRUNT (NZ) | H | 4 | Mick Price | – |
| 22 | 262x1213x7 | HAPPY CLAPPER | G | 8 | Patrick Webster | – |
| 23 | 290x1304x2 | HARTNELL (GB) | G | 8 | James Cummings | – |
| 24 | 39x15233x6 | HOLY SNOW | H | 4 | Mick Price | – |
| 25 | 20x4184x81 | HUMIDOR (NZ) | G | 6 | Darren Weir | – |
| 26 | x3613975x5 | I AM COLDPLAY (NZ) | M | 6 | Chris Waller | 102 |
| 27 | 11x7121x22 | I AM SERIOUS | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 97 |
| 28 | 25x2124x60 | INSTANT DE REVE (FR) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 84 |
| 29 | 2x3620x402 | INVICTUS PRINCE (GB) | G | 6 | Matthew Smith | 100 |
| 30 | 741x43215x | INVINCIBELLA | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 103 |
| 31 | 0335x695x7 | IT’S SOMEWHAT (USA) | G | 8 | James Cummings | – |
| 32 | 5658221006 | JACQUINOT BAY | G | 11 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 33 | 11x6260x11 | KAONIC (NZ) | H | 4 | Chris Waller | 91 |
| 34 | x11130x242 | KEMENTARI | H | 4 | James Cummings | – |
| 35 | 8x6537513x | KINGSGUARD (NZ) | G | 6 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 98 |
| 36 | 90x446x5x1 | LA BELLA DIOSA (NZ) | M | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 37 | 1x31117x48 | LANCIATO (NZ) | G | 6 | Mark Newnham | – |
| 38 | 0x74232x17 | LE ROMAIN | G | 6 | Kris Lees | – |
| 39 | 20x93116x5 | LIFE LESS ORDINARY (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | – |
| 40 | 2121 | MASTER ASH | C | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 76 |
| 41 | 22x56x430x | MEROVEE | H | 4 | Chris Waller | 71 |
| 42 | 2741x780x0 | MIGHTY BOSS | H | 4 | Mick Price | – |
| 43 | 5×23095611 | MISTER SEA WOLF (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 106 |
| 44 | 63x27314x0 | MR MOONLIGHT MAGIC (GB) | H | 6 | James Cummings | – |
| 45 | x336717x63 | MURAAQEB | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 46 | 100x1x0x85 | MUSIC MAGNATE (NZ) | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | 110 |
| 47 | 7433923×39 | NETTOYER | M | 5 | Wendy Roche | – |
| 48 | 6412141×21 | NIGHT’S WATCH (NZ) | G | 5 | Darren Weir | – |
| 49 | x1112x412x | NOIRE | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 95 |
| 50 | 5x568x3111 | PARET | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 84 |
| 51 | 39x85306x9 | PETROLOGY | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 52 | 7x121122x1 | PIERATA | H | 4 | Gregory Hickman | 109 |
| 53 | 1111x31x31 | PLEIN CIEL (GER) | G | 6 | Darren Weir | – |
| 54 | 13173x5x60 | POETIC DREAM (IRE) | H | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 55 | 23x22872x | PRIMITIVO | G | 4 | John P Thompson | – |
| 56 | x242630x35 | PRIZED ICON | H | 5 | Kris Lees | – |
| 57 | 025x2347x8 | RADIPOLE (IRE) | G | 6 | Michael Moroney | – |
| 58 | 3722x240x9 | RED EXCITEMENT | G | 9 | Gerald Ryan | – |
| 59 | 11x22x0476 | RELIGIFY | G | 8 | Chris Waller | – |
| 60 | 14x1143x3 | RENEWAL | G | 4 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 77 |
| 61 | 0x02054025 | RHYTHM TO SPARE (NZ) | G | 9 | Michael Moroney | – |
| 62 | x14312533x | ROMANCER (NZ) | G | 5 | Darren Weir | – |
| 63 | 1x0658x077 | SALSONIC | G | 5 | Jason Coyle | 88 |
| 64 | 326x2811x3 | SAMBRO | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 95 |
| 65 | 720x2220x8 | SAMOVARE | M | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 66 | 2x38x947x0 | SATONO RASEN (JPN) | H | 7 | Chris Waller | – |
| 67 | 22217x11x1 | SAVATIANO | M | 4 | James Cummings | – |
| 68 | 4x31591x3 | SEABROOK (NZ) | F | 3 | Mick Price | – |
| 69 | 7x77326x97 | SEABURGE | H | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 70 | 122x9131x4 | SEDANZER | M | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 71 | 3361x8899x | SENSE OF OCCASION | G | 8 | Kris Lees | 109 |
| 72 | x3112x8x1x | SEVENTH UP (NZ) | G | 8 | Shelley Hale | – |
| 73 | 1x076x462x | SHILLELAGH (NZ) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | 109 |
| 74 | x31124x097 | SHOW A STAR | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | 95 |
| 75 | 12235×2 | SHUMOOKH | M | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | – |
| 76 | 112x1295x2 | SIEGE OF QUEBEC | H | 4 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 98 |
| 77 | 20x22525x0 | SINGLE GAZE | M | 6 | Chris Waller | – |
| 78 | 611450×552 | SIR PLUSH (NZ) | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 93 |
| 79 | 4270x0172x | SOVEREIGN NATION | G | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 80 | 6957×12 | TAVISAN (NZ) | C | 3 | Mick Price | – |
| 81 | 939×700537 | TESTASHADOW | G | 7 | Gary Portelli | – |
| 82 | 30x25828x2 | TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) | G | 8 | Chris Waller | – |
| 83 | 74x612825x | TOP OF THE RANGE (NZ) | G | 5 | Michael Moroney | – |
| 84 | 413224513x | TORGERSEN (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 94 |
| 85 | 11x0121x61 | UNFORGOTTEN | M | 4 | Chris Waller | – |
| 86 | 1x3431x76x | WHOSYOURHOUSEMATE (GB) | G | 5 | Michael Moroney | – |
| 87 | 1131271232 | WIDGEE TURF | G | 5 | Patrick Payne | – |
