Selino (GB) arrived in Australia with a consistent record of two wins and seven placings from 19 starts, including a last start second in the Group II Doncaster Cup for trainer James Fanshawe.
Selino springs a shock in Sydney Cup (image Steve Hart)
In his five starts for Chris Waller the 5yo son of Champs Elysees failed to fill a place, until Saturday’s $2million Group 1 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) that is.
Sent off a $26 chance under lightweight Ron Stewart, Selino (GB) kept up a relentless gallop in the straight to give his champion trainer a fifth win in the race and his jockey a first Group 1 success in Australia.
A distant fourth behind Quick Thinker last week in the Group II Chairman’s Quality (2600m), Selino (GB) over raced for the majority of the trip but still proved a length and a quarter too good for the 6yo Ocean Park mare Rondinella with the same distance back to the 4yo Reliable Man mare Miami Bound.
Chris Waller said he had to defend his choice of jockey to the owners.
“I remember Ronnie was an apprentice here in Sydney, I was cutting my teeth the same time as him,” Waller recalled.
“He’s a beautiful young man.
“I was rapt to give him the opportunity, a natural lightweight rider, he works hard. He’s ridden overseas in Singapore successfully and he was the right man for the job.
“The owners questioned me on who he was and things like that and I said ‘well, he was an apprentice here in Sydney don’t worry. He’s rode successfully in Singapore, he’s riding well in Queensland. He’s a fit jockey and I see he’s got his helicopter’s license so he must have a few brains.’
He (elino) was sent to me in very good form. They (the owners) might’ve lost a bit of confidence in me when they saw him going around and running in 2000m races, 2600m races. But we’ve said all along stick to the confidence of running in this race. He’s an extreme distance horse and he certainly showed it today.”
Stewart said doing tome riding for Chris Waller in Queensland helped him secure the ride.
Lucky I can ride light and I picked up this ride,” Stewart said.
“He was a tough ride but it kept unfolding nicely for us. It certainly wasn’t easy, he was quite strong throughout, but I could see that in his replays, he has done that in the past, but when I pulled out down the side with about 1000m to go I still had plenty of horse there and I thought okay we have no weight on our back - catch me if you can.”
Selino (GB) is the best of five winners from nine to race out of the unraced Red Ransom mare Air Kiss who is a half-sister to Group 1 Prix du Cadran winner Ivermark (Machiavellian), Group II Princess of Wales's Stakes winner Craigsteel (Suave Dancer) and the Group III winner Inchrory (Midyan).
“Selino (GB) becomes the 31st stakes-winner for the Danehill stallion Champs Elysees who died of a heart attack in 2018 at the age of 15.
