Chris Waller may have finally figured out the best way to ride Order Again (NZ) (Iffraaj) who came from last to take out the Benchmark 100 Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.
Despite this being his seventh run for the stable, Waller explained that he had been trying to work out the gelding’s best racing pattern for sometime but may have now discovered it.
“Each horse has a different racing pattern and I guess it takes you a while to learn,” Waller said.
“We’ve found using him up early, or coming around them with a well-timed run doesn’t work.”
Waller said Order Again was suited by holding him up and smothering him and he’ll try and replicate Saturday’s win in future with the same tactics.
“Obviously he races well fresh. We might just space his races now and order some rain in four week’s time,” Waller said.
It was a terrific training performance from the master trainer as Order Again was first-up for 14 weeks over 1550m on a shifting Heavy 8 surface.
In-form jockey Sam Clipperton was aboard Order Again ($9) and he followed Waller’s tactics to a tee.
Clipperton settled the Iffraaj gelding towards the rear of field and let everything unfold in front of him before pulling out in the straight and letting down with a withering burst.
The seven-year-old gelding was dominant defeating Soldier Of Love (Mawingo) by 3 1/4 lengths with Passage Of Time (Northern Meteor) a further long head back in third.
The win is the seventh of Order Again’s career and took his prizemoney close to the A$500,000 mark.
In trying conditions on a wet afternoon, Waller was complimentary of the surfaces Sydney racing dishes up.
“Sydney’s made for every horse really,” Waller said. “52 weeks a year we get good racing and there is a range of tracks.
“It’s good to have range because in some states you really struggle to find conditions like this. It gives every horse their chance to win some money.”
