Chris Waller has had enormous success with the progeny of Ocean Park, and he has another likely type in Misterkipchoge.
Purchased privately after making two unplaced starts in New Zealand, Misterkipchoge led home a 1-2-3 for the stable at his Australian debut in the James Squire Maiden Hcp (1550m) at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday.
Ridden by Nash Rawiller, Misterkipchoge gave his talented stablemate Miss Chenery a decent start on straightening but knuckled down to his task impressively to defeat the 3-year-old daughter of Justify (USA) by a length and a half with the 4-year-old Zoustar mare Fakhra one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Waller won last year’s Group 1 Queensland Guineas with the Ocean Park gelding Kovalica and a Group II Queensland Guineas with another son of Ocean Park, the triple Group 1 winner and $6.7 million earner Kolding.
Those are the races Chis Waller intends to target with Misterkipchoge.
“He was given plenty of time in New Zealand. I had a good chat with the trainer (Gavin Sharrock), and he said he was sad to lose him, but I think he was pretty happy to get the money,” Waller said.
“He has a nice future; we think he is a Queensland Derby horse.
“He will likely have a short break now and build to the Derby, third or fourth up.”
Misterkipchoge is the first foal of the Mastercraftsman (IRE) Porotene Mhia.
An 18-start maiden, Porotene Mhia is a daughter of the 3-time winner Ghia (Kaapstad), a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 Makfi Challenge winner I Do (No Excuse Needed) and Group III Queensland Cup winner Iggi Pop (Savabeel), out of the Group III New Zealand St Leger winner Frquent, who placed in the Group 1 Waikato RC International Stakes.
