Weather the key to Waller's Farm runners

SYDNEY Jul 29 2010

Chris Waller says he'll wait until race morning before deciding how many runners he'll take to Warwick Farm for the season's penultimate city meeting on Friday.

Waller has seven runners engaged at Warwick Farm but a heavy track has the trainer unsure just how many will take their place.

"Had it been a good track they would all be running and it looked like it would be alright earlier in the week but the weather's just got worse," Waller said.

Warwick Farm was rated a heavy (9) on Thursday after 18mm of rain fell at the track on Wednesday night.

One horse Waller said would be taking his place was Telesmon in the Claymore Handicap (2400m).

The rising six-year-old gelding won over 1800m on Randwick's Kensington track two starts back before finishing 10th in a Benchmark 70 over 2200m at Warwick Farm on July 14.

"He'll definitely run and he just had no luck whatsoever last start," Waller said.

"I'm not sure about the distance with him, we're really stretching him out because he's built more like a sprinter than a 2400-metre horse.

"Time will tell if he can stay."

Dystopia and Ego are among the acceptances for the Woodbine Handicap (1200m) but Ego is also entered for a race at Rosehill on Saturday.

"Ego would be the likelier of the two to run but they could possibly both be scratched because there are other options for them," Waller said.

"Ego is in on Saturday as well and there's a fillies and mares race next Saturday that we're also looking at with Dystopia."

Waller's other Warwick Farm entries are Mossanay (Ambarvale Handicap), Ballet Academy (Blair Athol Handicap), and Rain Melody and Anything (Bradbury Handicap).

With 90 city wins in Sydney, Waller is second behind Peter Snowden (97) in the trainers' premiership.

A double at Canterbury on Wednesday also took Waller's season tally to 100 metropolitan winners across Australia this term.

Snowden has four horses entered at Warwick Farm and is striving for at least three winners on Friday and Saturday to reach 100 Sydney winners for the season.

He'll have runners in a maximum of three races at the Farm.

Erewhon and Pouter are Snowden's representatives in the Glen Alpine Handicap (1400m), Incitement is in the Ambarvale Handicap (1600m) while Screen is a dual acceptor.

By Mathew Toogood - AAP