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Royal Ascot Auditions For Waller All Aged Stakes Duo

Hugh Bowman riding Press Statement. Photo: Getty Images

The All Aged Stakes is often considered an afterthought at the end of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but there are a number of intriguing storylines surrounding the 2016 edition of the race.

Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller is set to have two of the leading chances in the form of Kermadec and Press Statement and this race will have big consequences for the immediate racing futures of both horses.

Press Statement suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Le Romain in the Royal Randwick Guineas on March 5, but he enhanced his impressive resume when he finished third behind Winx and Kermadec in the George Ryder Stakes a fortnight later.

Waller elected to bypass the Doncaster Mile with Press Statement in order to target the All Aged Stakes with the three-year-old and the Vinery Stud stallion prospect will head to Royal Ascot for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes if he performs strongly on Saturday.

Press Statement will lock horns with Kermadec again on Saturday and the Teofilo entire is another horse that could join the Australian contingent to Royal Ascot if he is able to bounce back to his best form.

Kermadec produced a high-rating performance to finish second behind Winx in the George Ryder Stakes, but he never travelled in the run and had a poor recovery rate post race.

Waller has been happy with the way the two-time Group 1 winner has progressed since his lacklustre performance and he is happy to give the four-year-old another opportunity to prove he deserves a chance in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

The Waller duo won’t have it their own way in the All Aged Stakes and there are a number of other talented gallopers set to contest the Group 1 event this weekend.

Malaguerra is yet to make his Group 1 debut, but the progressive sprinter was the best-backed horse in early All Aged Stakes betting markets.

This is easily the toughest test that Malaguerra has faced during his racing career to date, but he continues to run impressive times and the form around him is incredibly strong.

Gai Waterhouse is yet to record a Group 1 win during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but she will have a genuine chance in the All Aged Stakes in the form of English.

The speedy filly has shown an incredible turn-of-foot in the Challenge Stakes, The Galaxy and TJ Smith Stakes this campaign to date and the step-up to 1400 looks as though it will suit, but she did fail to fire in her only previous start over 1400 metres in the Sires Produce Stakes last year.

The x-factor in the All Aged Stakes could be Darren Weir-trained Black Heart Bart, who is set make his Sydney racing debut this weekend.

Black Heart Bart returned to the races with a very close second behind The Quarterback in the Newmarket Handicap and he did plenty wrong in the Victoria Handicap, but he was still able to get the job done.

The Stradbroke Handicap is a likely target for Malaguerra if he performs well again in the Stradbroke Handicap and he could be joined in that race by Black Heart Bart, who could also head to Adelaide for The Goodwood.