A new Group I benchmark, a record nationwide haul and a ninth successive Sydney trainers premiership put an exclamation mark on another fine season for Chris Waller.

The 2018/19 season wrapped up on Wednesday at Warwick Farm as the Kiwi-born trainer was unsurprisingly celebrating another dominant twelve months in racing.

With each passing year more records seem to tumble.

The champion horseman broke the record for most Group Is in a season, thanks in large part to the exploits of superstars Winx and The Autumn Sun.

In June he recorded a record 18th Group I for the season when Invincibella claimed the Tatts Tiara in Queensland.

It’s the seventh consecutive time Waller has won more Group Is than any other Australian stable and tops his tally of 13 from twelve months ago.

Waller chalked up a new personal best nationwide after recording 339 wins for the campaign, one more than last season.

His ninth Sydney premiership has been a mere formality for quite some time.

While his impressive haul 172 metro wins is 17 less than his all-time win record of 189 last season it had him clear of his nearest rival James Cummings (99 wins).

“There is so many highlights throughout the season and I feel proud knowing that our big team, the staff, the owners, that all that hard work does get justified,” Waller said.

“Whether a winner at the provincials or a winner in a Group I race for one of the best horses in the world, it is smiles all round and justification for a lot of hard work.

“Whether it is a nice premiership or 18th Group I win, they are all pretty good.”

Meanwhile, James McDonald didn’t ride in Sydney at all over the final two months of the season but his buffer in the jockeys’ premiership was already far too great.

The Kiwi hoop only returned from a lengthy betting suspension in May last year but enjoyed a superb comeback season where he notched up 104 metro wins.

The century haul saw McDonald finish clear of Tommy Berry (77 wins).

“I didn’t even think riding 100 city winners was possible to be fair and the premiership wasn’t a goal,’’ McDonald told Racenet last week.

“I was more focused on getting back on my feet this first season and trying to finish in the top three, I thought that was a realistic goal.

“But I’ve worked hard throughout the year and I’ve had amazing support.”

Like McDonald, apprentice Robbie Dolan was absent at the final meeting of the season as he took a well-earned break back in Ireland.

Dolan had 48 city winners to become Sydney’s champion apprentice for the first time but was pipped by Blaike McDougall in the statewide premiership.

McDougall edged Dolan 94 to 92-1/2 in NSW wins while Veteran country hoop Greg Ryan (167-1/2 wins) lead all jockeys in the state.  

– Mitch Cohen, racenet.com.au

Chris Waller has thrown his support behind comeback jockey Nash Rawiller, who will ride for the country’s top group 1 trainer on his very first day back in the saddle on Thursday.

Rawiller, who has been riding trackwork and trials for over a month after being handed a 15-month ban by Hong Kong Jockey Club officials over receiving gifts or money in exchange for tipping horses he rode, is set to return to Sydney racing next Saturday.

It’s likely to come with the backing of the state’s most influential conditioner, who has long enjoyed an association with Rawiller primarily through the deeds of Red Tracer. Rawiller has ridden six group 1 winners for Waller throughout his career.

‘‘He’ll be riding for us at Kembla Grange on Thursday,’’ Waller said. ‘‘The way I see it, Nash has been a big supporter of our stable and has never done anything wrong by our horses. He’s a good man, a good family man and I’m sure he’ll be successful when he comes back.’’

Rawiller’s return comes at the same time heavyweight hoop Blake Shinn leaves Sydney to take up a six-month riding contract in Hong Kong as champion jockey Glen Boss also reignites his career in NSW.

Gok and roll

Speaking of Waller and comebacks, Sydney’s leading trainer knows mentioning Wu Gok (pictured) and Winx in the same breath might sound a little strange.

Yet he knows how important the facilities at Hermitage Park have been in both their careers. Wu Gok ($3.40 fav) made it back-to-back wins on the comeback trail from a tendon injury after downing slow-starting stablemate Dagny ($6.50) in the Eremein Handicap, prompting glowing praise about the team who has helped rehabilitate him.

‘‘He was on the same farm where Winx used to do all her work,’’ Waller said. ‘‘It’s an amazing set-up out there and it’s a big part of horse welfare, making sure they’re well looked after and can recover properly from injuries. He’s back racing thanks to their hard work and facilities.’’

– Adam Pengilly, The Age

Provincial star Sir Elton has had his colours lowered for the first time at Randwick by a filly whose trainer believes will be a spring star.

The Chris Waller-trained Haut Brion Her ($3.60) wore down $1.65 favourite Sir Elton in Saturday’s Benchmark 74 race over 1200m with the latter then edged out of second by Misteed ($10)

Ridden by Blake Shinn at his last meeting before he heads to Hong Kong, Haut Brion Her took her record to three wins from four starts with her only defeat on debut in November.

“She is a special horse and has gone up a level this preparation,” Waller said.

“The leader is obviously a very talented horse and we knew we would have to make him work,

“She was up to the challenge and she will measure up in the spring.”

Shinn said he was aware of the task confronting Haut Brion Her and she rose to it.

:”I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” he said.

“I made sure she settled well and when it came time to apply the pressure she did everything right.

“It was poetry.

“The sky’s the limit for her and I think she could be a budding star of the future.

“It was nice to see her today measure up against a really untapped horse in Sir Elton and win with consummate authority.”

Sir Elton’s trainer Adam Duggan indicated he would now have a break.

The Waller stable was to the fore again with Wu Gok in the Eremein Handicap (2000m).

Although the track was in the soft range compared to his last-start win on a heavy nine, his preferred surface, Wu Gok ($3.40 fav) had too much ammunition for stablemate Dagny ($6.50) to beat him by a neck.

“Obviously it’s not a firm track but he won on a very heavy track two weeks ago and still beat them today,” Waller said.

“He is in a great place and the race panned out really well.

“He is a tough stayer and has recovered from a tendon injury to be going really well.”

At his previous start, Wu Gok had beaten the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Dr Drill who franked the form with his win in the Everest Carnival Handicap (1800m).

He was ridden on Saturday by Victoria’s leading apprentice Teo Nugent who gave up the opportunity to ride in the Rising Stars Final at Flemington.

Nugent’s three kilogram claim got the $3.20 favourite into the race with 60kg and he beat Costello ($12) by a length.

“On a soft track he is very competitive,” Nugent said.

“I was very happy with the way he carried the weight because he is only a very small horse.”

– AAP, justhorseracing.com.au

Haut Brion Her (Randwick R3)
Given the expectations on Sir Elton pre-race, 3YO filly Haut Brion Her has earned herself star status for the day after putting the previously unbeaten galloper to the sword. While the margin in the finish was a tick under 2.5L in the end, the Waller-trained filly – ridden by the soon-to-be Hong Kong-based Blake Shinn – had the race in her keeping a long way out. She’s now put paid to a couple of winter fields and trainer Chris Waller has hinted that the daughter of Zoustar could be chasing bigger and better things in the spring.

– James Lamb, Luke Sheehan & David Hocking, punters.com.au