Champion trainer Chris Waller is renowned for producing talented back season juveniles that blossom into stakes performers and we saw one at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when heavily backed Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Regulated Affair opened his account.
A late closing close second to highly regarded colt Farnicle when making his debut back in March, Regulated Affair was given a little freshen up after that performance.
Tuned up with a recent trial he was primed to run well first up over 1000m from a good gate with James McDonald to ride. Regulated Affair enjoyed a good run in transit and asserted himself late to dash clear and win by a length and a half.
“He used his barrier and there was good speed and he came off their heels and quickened really well,” said Chris Waller.
“He's definitely going to Brisbane, we just gave him a chance to catch his breath and then we picked out this race as a good stepping stone.
“He's got a different sort of action. He's a small, compact horse. He gets his head down and really likes to work. We’ll look at races over 1200 to 1400m and he may get the chance to go to a JJ Atkins (G1 1600m).”
Last year at this meeting the Chris Waller trained Lady Shenandoah made her debut for a second placing in the Hermitage Thoroughbreds colours and has since gone on to be a superstar three year-old filly.
“I'm not suggesting he's half as good as her, but, you know, he might have ability,” Waller mused.
“He won't win the Coolmore Classic, I'll tell you that, not the one at Rosehill anyway, but maybe the one up the straight at Flemington!
“Look, we are creatures of habit with our horses. And that's why we bring a lot of our horses in at this time of the year and give them a run. It just gives them a little bit of experience at the racecourse and if a trip to Queensland comes along, it does help them mature.”
A $200,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Supreme Thoroughbreds for Hermitage Thoroughbreds, Regulated Affair is the first foal from Sei Stella, a metro winning sister to stakes-winner Single Style (the dam of stakes-winner Miss Hipstar) and three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group III winner Doubtful Jack.
Regulated Affair is the seventh first crop winner in Australia for Wootton Bassett, who is scheduled to return to Coolmore Australia this spring.
