Waller eyes 18th Group 1

Chris Waller has embraced a final chance to further improve his already record-breaking Group 1 season after he nominated five mares for the season-ending feature in Brisbane on Saturday.

Waller already has an astonishing 17 winners at the elite level this year – highlighted by the seven achieved by retiring superstar Winx – and the trainer has loaded up in Saturday’s Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm with five of the 33 nominations for the $500,000 race.

He has entered Prompt Response, who won last year’s Tiara when trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, as well as Eckstein, Egg Tart, Invincibella and Noire.

Apart from the seven Group 1s to fall to the unbeatable Winx, Waller also prepared The Autumn Sun to four Group 1 wins, which included the classic trio of the Caulfield, Randwick and Rosehill Guineas.

Waller has already smashed the prizemoney record in Australia by becoming the first ever to $40 million in a single season. He currently sits on $41.24 million five days out from the Tiara with Godolphin trainer James Cummings running second with earnings beyond $29 million.

Winx registered Waller’s 100th Group 1 winner in her farewell run in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in April and 45 minutes later, the imported Shraaoh made it 101 when he took the Sydney Cup (3200m).

WALLER’S GROUP 1 HISTORY

2018/19 – 17 winners
2017/18 – 13
2016/17 – 9
2015/16 – 15
2014/15 – 14
2013/14 – 8
2012/13 – 9
2011/12 – 4
2010/11 – 4
2009/10 – 6 
2008/09 – 1
2007/08 – 1