Don't rule out any of Waller's foursome in Toorak Handicap

Ben Dorries - Thursday October 12

Chris Waller's four-pronged attack to win his first Group I Toorak Handicap (1600m) includes two regular winners and a pair that haven't won in close to a combined 1000 days.

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Chris Waller has launched a four-pronged assault on the Toorak Handicap as he strives to win the race for the first time Photo: Darryl Sherer

The champion trainer tackles the Toorak with Egg Tart ($6.50), Tom Melbourne ($7), Comin' Through ($11) and Omei Sword ($14).

Two of them have plenty of winning form this year while the other two don't have any wins in recent times.

Egg Tart strung six wins together between November last year and June this year, including a pair of Group Is with the Schweppes Oaks at Morphettville and the Queensland Oaks at Doomben.

She ran second behind The Everest contender Deploy in the Group II Theo Marks before an eye infection ruled her out of a crack at the Group I Epsom Handicap.

And Comin' Through won two in a row before he finished an unlucky sixth in the Epsom after being stuck wide without cover.

However the tale of the tape has been different for Tom Melbourne and Omei Sword.

Some punters have sacked Tom Melbourne, a horse that hasn't won in 574 days, and Omei Sword, which hasn't won in 419 days.

But Waller believes a bad barrier might have cost Tom Melbourne an Epsom Handicap win when the seven-year-old finished a narrow second behind Happy Clapper at Randwick on September 30.

And he feels Omei Sword, who gets 52kg in the Toorak and jumps from barrier five, might be nearing her maiden Group I win.

Regardless, Waller says the fact that Tom Melbourne and Omei Sword haven't won since last year hasn't influenced the way he has trained them.

"It is a bit of a silly question to me – I know that some people do think that is relevant but I don't," Waller says.

"The way I train I don't worry about that sort of stuff (horses who haven't won in a while).

"Tom Melbourne is going great.

"His form against Happy Clapper was brilliant, that's good form.

"Saturday is a nice race for him and he seems to have adapted well to training him over the shorter trips.

"The Toorak might be a nice race for Omei Sword on the minimum weight."

Waller indicated two-time Group I winner Egg Tart had worked well at Caulfield along with Omei Sword.

He said Comin' Through was extremely unlucky in the Epsom and feels the son of Fastnet Rock might be a better horse when ridden on speed.

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