Hello Captain makes winning return
Champion trainer Chris Waller isn’t expecting Hello Captain’s winning run to stop anytime soon.
Waller produced the three-year-old son of Hello Youmzain for an effortless first-up victory over 1100m at Warwick Farm in the hands of James McDonald.
Hello Captain was sent out an odds-on favourite on his return and was allowed to drift to the back of the field before picking up ground 500m from home.
He swung widest into the straight and, when asked for a serious effort, the gelding responded positively to win with authority.
“He showed glimpses of that in Queensland, hence why we brought him back to Sydney,” Waller said.
“He’s well-bred being by Hello Youmzain and I think he’ll win his next one too.”
Hello Captain hadn’t raced since he won at the Sunshine Coast on Boxing Day off the back of a debut runner-up finish at Doomben.
“He is a beautiful horse and he will shoot through the grades,” McDonald said.
“He was a bit rocky in the gates and he came out slowly and didn’t muster speed, so going up in distance will help him.
“He was inclined to wander late in the piece as well, so there is plenty to look forward to.”
Hello Captain was purchased for $425,000 by Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from the draft of Cambridge Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, and is raced by Christchurch owner Glenn Ritchie.
The progressive galloper is out of the Pivotal mare Steer By The Stars who has produced four winners from five foals to race, including the European stakes victor Never Look Back while full brother Persian Wonder was runner-up in the Gr.3 Baillieu Handicap (1400m) in March for David Payne.
