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Rugby League > Chris Waller does it again
By Mathew Toogood
June 27, 2010

Chris Waller's remarkable season continued at Randwick on Saturday when We Betcha and Hawk Island claimed the opening two races, but the trainer still declared a breakthrough Sydney trainers' premiership out of reach.

Waller went into the Randwick meeting with 74 city wins for the season and We Betcha's 3-3/4 length win in the CAIP Handicap (1400m) followed by Hawk Island's victory in the following race took him to within 13 of premiership leader Peter Snowden.

Asked if the premiership was out of reach with just over a month until the end of the season, Waller replied: "Yes it is".

"But what we've learned is that it is achievable.

"We'll just have to see how big Peter (Snowden) gets and how much Gai (Waterhouse) fires up next season.

"We've got the right system in place and the right owners, I'll have a crack at it one day but not for a couple of years."

The Rosehill trainer, who has also had a career-best season in major races with five Group One victories, said the winter months were a good time for his stable.

"It's always a busy time of year for the stable, these are our bread and butter horses, but I'm not going to alter our systems (to chase the premiership)," he said.

We Betcha was sent out a $6 chance in the four-horse field with Readyor the dominant $1.95 favourite.

Glyn Schofield rode a tactically perfect race on the Waller-trained filly, settling her behind Sheeznodoubt and Readyor and tracking the favourite into the straight.

After topping the rise Schofield asked We Betcha to extend and she raced right away to defeat Aultone with Sheeznodoubt third.

"She's better than her form suggests, she just needs a bit of confidence," Waller said after the filly claimed her second win at her 14th start.

"She has had a couple of quick back-ups and is handling it well which shows she's ready for a bit of pressure.

"Hopefully she can get another win through winter and then we'll look at getting her some black type next preparation which will be a bonus."

Five-year-old Hawk Island ($3.10 fav), also ridden by Schofield, is likely to progress to the Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 15 after his two-length win over With Ice and Halleys in the Insurance Market Facilities Handicap (2000m).

To go with his early Randwick double, Waller part-owns jumper Grizz, trained by Clinton McDonald, who took out the Finniss Lodge Hurdle (3100m) at Morphettville.
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