Walker amassing strong Trans-Tasman spring squad

Trainer Mark Walker enjoyed good success on both sides of the Tasman last Saturday, headed by the narrow Gr.1 Sangster Stakes (1200m) victory of Geegees Mistruth (Wordsmith).

The four-year-old daughter of Wordsmith is bred and raced by Elizabeth Geard Racing and transferred to Walker’s Cranbourne stable after six wins in Tasmania for Stuart Gandy.

Walker was delighted to land a second Australian Group One victory in the past month, following Belle Cheval’s (NZ) (Savabeel) victory in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in Sydney.

“It was great that both Belle Cheval and Geegees Mistruth have won Group One races in outside colours, which helps reiterate that we are a public training stable and we've already picked up a horse because of it and hopefully there are more to come,” Walker said.

Despite the blanket finish to the Sangster, Walker was confident Geegees Mistruth had saluted.

“Even though it was very close, I actually thought she had won as she's got a great big head on her and I thought she had her head down on the line,” Walker said.

“She's gone out for a spell now and we'll have her back for the spring. She'll be a five-year-old and more mature, so hopefully she can measure up to weight-for-age.

“I haven't had a chance to think about a program yet and we've got plenty of time, but races like the Manikato (Gr.1, 1200m) will come into play.”

While Walker enjoyed a good day in Adelaide, where two-year-old filly Wonderful Sky (Ole Kirk) also finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), the New Zealand stable, where he trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson, continued to forge clear in the premiership as some quality types were unearthed.

Well-related three-year-old filly Drops of God (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) was an impressive winner of the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), enhancing her record to three wins, and a Group Three placing behind Belle Cheval, from just four starts.

“It was a great win because she had to do it tough from that outside barrier and work at both ends of the race, which was impressive,” Walker said.

“We are a little bit undecided yet as to what she's going to do next. Sam and I have given a few ideas to Greg Tomlinson (breeder and part-owner) and his team. There's not a lot left for her in New Zealand, so the options would be to either spell or go to Australia.

Walker has got the daughter of Hello Youmzain and outstanding broodmare Distinctive Lass pegged as a 1200m to 1400m horse.

“Hello Youmzain is a young stallion that is really showing something and they're just getting better and better,” he said.

“A long-term goal would be a race like the Railway (Gr.1, 1200m) but it's just what we do with her between now and then.

“Getting Australian black-type would be very beneficial for her as a valuable broodmare into the future.

Group Two winner and multiple Group One performer Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor) will head to the paddock following her gallant second placing in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m).

“We're going to give her another year in training,” Walker said. “She'll have a good break now and there are many races that are suitable for her next season again.”

Meanwhile, $480,000 Ole Kirk colt System Of Play (Ole Kirk) was ultra impressive on debut, coming from back in the field to score convincingly in the Beyond Water 2YO (1200m), with the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale graduate now being set for classic targets.

“He’s a nice horse. He relaxed beautifully back in the field and he rounded them up efficiently,” Walker said.

“He's gone for a break and will be set for the 2000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) at Riccarton in November.”

While System Of Play will be aimed at the Riccarton feature, Group One winning Te Akau juveniles Seize The Day (I Am Invincible) and Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) are destined to race from the Cranbourne stable in spring.  

“We have the Caulfield Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) in mind for Seize The Day. Now he's got a Group One at home, it’s important to add to his CV as a colt by I Am Invincible and target an Australian Group One.  

“Lara Antipova had a temperature the day before she was due to fly over for a Group Three at Flemington, so we spelled her and she'll be at the Cranbourne barn about mid-June. She'll have the short-course three-year-old spring races in mind over here.”

Walker confirmed that the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick is on the cards for Belle Cheval, who was beaten a whisker by unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) in the NZB Kiwi, with the pair both facing the daunting task of taking on fellow rising four-year-old Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior).

“I went and saw Belle Cheval yesterday, she's spelling on the Mornington Peninsula and she's doing well,” Walker said.

“We're still getting afternoons at 24 or 25 degrees; it's a beautiful spell of weather which really helps.

“The Golden Eagle is definitely her target as a spring four-year-old.”

Walker said it was pleasing to see horses from New Zealand travel to Australia and frank the form.

“We’ve had a great year. The fact that Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) won the Australian Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m), Belle Cheval won the Vinery (Gr.1, 2000m) and even Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) who won the Railway (Gr.1, 1200m) in New Zealand and then he has come back over here and won the William Reid (Gr.1, 1200m) and The Quokka (A$5 million, 1200m), it’s really important,” he said.

“There are a few races at home on warnings and the more horses that can come to Australia and are competitive, the better it is for our whole industry.”