Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller has 27 of the 120 entries for this year’s $10million Melbourne Cup, which equates to more than 20 per cent of the total, so it’s probably worth having a closer look at them.
Australian Horse of the Year Via Sistina (IRE) heads the entries for the Waller stable, but it’s a fascinating list that also includes Derby winning fillies of last season in Aeliana and Femminile who joined the stable after being purchased by Yulong at the MM National Sale for $1.5million.
Yulong own a significant number of the Waller entries, but none are a more realistic chance of winning than River of Stars (IRE).
The 7YO daughter of Sea the Stars was bought by Yulong for 1.65million guineas at the 2024 Tattersalls December Mares Sale and had just two Australian starts in the autumn, the second of which was a third in the Sydney Cup.
Her previous Euro form was excellent over long distances and by that I mean she doesn’t get hot until she gets to 2400m, but from that point she has a great record including a second in the Group I Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp.
She kicked off her Melbourne Cup prep with a seventh last Saturday in the Listed MRC Heatherlie Stakes over 1700m, which was a passmark, but keep an eye out for her when she gets into her preferred distance range.
Chris Waller Melbourne Cup entries, just three of them were bred in Australia and Belle Detelle, was foaled here but has a Kiwi pedigree being a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Waller's Melbourne Cup winning Australian Horse of the Year Verry Elleegant.
|
Horse |
Sex |
Age |
Sire |
|
AELIANA (NZ) |
M |
4 |
Castelvecchio |
|
ANISETTE (GB) |
M |
6 |
Awtaad |
|
ASTERIX (NZ) |
G |
7 |
Tavistock |
|
BELLE DETELLE |
M |
4 |
Zed |
|
BIRDMAN (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Free Eagle |
|
BUCKAROO (GB) |
G |
7 |
Fastnet Rock |
|
ETNA ROSSO (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Decorated Knight |
|
FEMMINILE |
M |
4 |
Dundeel |
|
FULL COUNT FELICIA (USA) |
M |
7 |
War Front |
|
GOLDEN CENTURY (NZ) |
G |
4 |
Pierro |
|
HUTCHENCE (GB) |
G |
5 |
Frankel |
|
KADAVAR (NZ) |
G |
5 |
Tarzino |
|
KINESIOLOGY (GB) |
G |
5 |
Study of Man |
|
KOVALICA (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Ocean Park |
|
LAND LEGEND (FR) |
G |
6 |
Galileo |
|
LEICA LUCY (NZ) |
M |
4 |
Derryn |
|
MILITARIZE (NZ) |
G |
5 |
Dundeel |
|
MOIRA (CAN) |
M |
7 |
Ghostzapper |
|
MORE FELONS (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Churchill |
|
REAL CLASS (NZ) |
M |
4 |
Vadamos |
|
RIVER OF STARS (IRE) |
M |
7 |
Sea the Stars |
|
STAR OF INDIA (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Galileo |
|
SWELTERING |
M |
4 |
Too Darn Hot (GB) |
|
TAJANIS (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Australia |
|
TRINITY COLLEGE (IRE) |
H |
4 |
Dubawi |
|
VALIANT KING (GB) |
G |
6 |
Roaring Lion |
|
VIA SISTINA (IRE) |
M |
8 |
Fastnet Rock |
See the full list of Melbourne Cup nominations below:
|
Horse |
Sex |
Age |
Trainer |
|
|
1 |
ABSURDE (FR) |
G |
8 |
Willie Mullins |
|
2 |
ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Kris Lees |
|
3 |
AELIANA (NZ) |
M |
4 |
Chris Waller |
|
4 |
AFTERMATH (IRE) |
H |
4 |
Aidan O'Brien |
|
5 |
AGE OF SAIL (GB) |
G |
7 |
Kris Lees |
|
6 |
AL RIFFA (FR) |
H |
6 |
Joseph O'Brien |
|
7 |
ALALCANCE (GB) |
M |
6 |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
|
8 |
ANISETTE (GB) |
M |
6 |
Chris Waller |
|
9 |
ANTRIM COAST (NZ) |
G |
5 |
Steve Richards |
|
10 |
ARAPAHO (FR) |
G |
9 |
Bjorn Baker |
|
11 |
ASTERIX (NZ) |
G |
7 |
Chris Waller |
|
12 |
ATHABASCAN (FR) |
G |
7 |
John O'Shea & Tom Charlton |
|
13 |
AUGUSTUS (GER) |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
14 |
BASILINNA (NZ) |
M |
5 |
Emma-Lee & David Browne |
|
15 |
BELLE DETELLE |
M |
4 |
Chris Waller |
|
16 |
BELVEDERE BOYS |
G |
6 |
Matthew Dunn |
|
17 |
BIRDMAN (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Chris Waller |
|
18 |
BRAYDEN STAR (GB) |
G |
7 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
|
19 |
BUCKAROO (GB) |
G |
7 |
Chris Waller |
|
20 |
BUR DUBAI (GB) |
G |
5 |
Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
|
21 |
CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Kris Lees |
|
22 |
CHEVALIER ROSE (JPN) |
H |
8 |
Hisashi Shimizu |
|
23 |
CHIEF LITTLE ROCK (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
|
24 |
CLEVELAND (IRE) |
G |
8 |
Kris Lees |
|
25 |
COUNTRY'S LIGHT |
G |
7 |
Tetyana Furdetska |
|
26 |
DEAKIN (FR) |
G |
6 |
Phillip Stokes |
|
27 |
DISTRUSTFUL AWARD |
G |
6 |
Peter Luttrell |
|
28 |
DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) |
G |
6 |
Annabel & Rob Archibald |
|
29 |
DURAJI (IRE) |
H |
5 |
Dermot K Weld |
|
30 |
ENCODER |
G |
5 |
Michael Freedman |
|
31 |
EPIC POET (IRE) |
G |
7 |
David O'Meara |
|
32 |
ETNA ROSSO (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Chris Waller |
|
33 |
EUPHORIC |
G |
6 |
Greg Eurell |
|
34 |
FEMMINILE |
M |
4 |
Chris Waller |
|
35 |
FERNAO (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Annabel & Rob Archibald |
|
36 |
FIRST IMMORTAL |
G |
6 |
Mark & Levi Kavanagh |
|
37 |
FLATTEN THE CURVE (FR) |
G |
7 |
Henk Grewe |
|
38 |
FLYING BANDIT |
G |
5 |
Kerry Parker |
|
39 |
FULL COUNT FELICIA (USA) |
M |
7 |
Chris Waller |
|
40 |
FURTHUR (IRE) |
H |
4 |
Andrew Balding |
|
41 |
GILDED WATER (GB) |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
42 |
GO DADDY (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
43 |
GOLDEN CENTURY (NZ) |
G |
4 |
Chris Waller |
|
44 |
GOLDEN PATH (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
|
45 |
GOLDEN SNAP (JPN) |
M |
6 |
Katsunori Tanaka |
|
46 |
GOOD BANTER (NZ) |
M |
5 |
John O'Shea & Tom Charlton |
|
47 |
GOODIE TWO SHOES (IRE) |
M |
7 |
Joseph O'Brien |
|
48 |
GRAND PIERRO |
G |
6 |
Jason Warren |
|
49 |
HALF YOURS |
G |
5 |
Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
|
50 |
HARBOUR WIND (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Dermot K Weld |
|
51 |
HIPOP DE LOIRE (FR) |
G |
9 |
Willie Mullins |
|
52 |
HUTCHENCE (GB) |
G |
5 |
Chris Waller |
|
53 |
INTERPRETATION (IRE) |
G |
8 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
54 |
JENNIVAMOOSE (NZ) |
M |
6 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
55 |
JUJA KIBO (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
56 |
KADAVAR (NZ) |
G |
5 |
Chris Waller |
|
57 |
KINESIOLOGY (GB) |
G |
5 |
Chris Waller |
|
58 |
KINGS VALLEY (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
59 |
KNIGHT'S CHOICE |
G |
6 |
John Symons & Sheila Laxon |
|
60 |
KOVALICA (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Chris Waller |
|
61 |
LA CRIQUE (NZ) |
M |
7 |
Simon Alexander |
|
62 |
LAND LEGEND (FR) |
G |
6 |
Chris Waller |
|
63 |
LASPIRIT DEELER |
M |
5 |
Lee & Cherie Curtis |
|
64 |
LASTOTCHKA (FR) |
M |
7 |
Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
|
65 |
LEICA LUCY (NZ) |
M |
4 |
Chris Waller |
|
66 |
LITZDEEL |
M |
4 |
Danny O'Brien |
|
67 |
MARK TWAIN (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Roger James & Robert Wellwood |
|
68 |
MEYDAAN (IRE) |
H |
5 |
Simon Crisford |
|
69 |
MIDDLE EARTH (GB) |
G |
6 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
70 |
MILITARIZE (NZ) |
G |
5 |
Chris Waller |
|
71 |
MISTER WOLFGANG (NZ) |
G |
7 |
Peter McKay |
|
72 |
MOIRA (CAN) |
M |
7 |
Chris Waller |
|
73 |
MORE FELONS (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Chris Waller |
|
74 |
MORMONA (FR) |
G |
7 |
Annabel & Rob Archibald |
|
75 |
MOUNT KILIMANJARO (FR) |
H |
4 |
Aidan O'Brien |
|
76 |
MUKTAMIL (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
|
77 |
NAVAL COLLEGE (GB) |
G |
7 |
Annabel & Rob Archibald |
|
78 |
NEWLOOK (FR) |
G |
5 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
|
79 |
NIKAU SPUR (NZ) |
G |
9 |
Corey & Kylie Geran |
|
80 |
NO RUMOURS |
G |
5 |
Paul Preusker |
|
81 |
OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) |
H |
8 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
82 |
ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) |
G |
8 |
Brian Ellison |
|
83 |
OUR ANCHORAGE (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Bjorn Baker |
|
84 |
OUR GOLD HOPE |
M |
5 |
Robert & Luke Price |
|
85 |
PARCHMENT PARTY (USA) |
H |
5 |
William Mott |
|
86 |
POINT KING (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
|
87 |
POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
|
88 |
PRESAGE NOCTURNE (IRE) |
H |
6 |
Alessandro Botti |
|
89 |
QUIETNESS (GB) |
M |
6 |
John O'Shea & Tom Charlton |
|
90 |
REAL CLASS (NZ) |
M |
4 |
Chris Waller |
|
91 |
RED ACES |
G |
4 |
Nick Ryan |
|
92 |
REVELARE |
G |
5 |
Robert Hickmott |
|
93 |
RIVER OF STARS (IRE) |
M |
7 |
Chris Waller |
|
94 |
ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
95 |
SAV ON ICE |
H |
4 |
Darryl Carrison |
|
96 |
SAYEDATY SADATY (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
97 |
SCANDINAVIA (USA) |
H |
4 |
Aidan O'Brien |
|
98 |
SCARY (NZ) |
H |
4 |
Emma-Lee & David Browne |
|
99 |
SHARP 'N' SMART (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Graeme Rogerson |
|
100 |
SIR DELIUS (GB) |
H |
5 |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
|
101 |
SMOKIN' ROMANS (NZ) |
G |
9 |
Ciaron Maher |
|
102 |
SO YOU ARE |
G |
4 |
Stirling Osland |
|
103 |
STAR OF INDIA (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Chris Waller |
|
104 |
STAR VEGA (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
|
105 |
STATUARIO |
G |
4 |
Emma-Lee & David Browne |
|
106 |
SWELTERING |
M |
4 |
Chris Waller |
|
107 |
TABLETALK (IRE) |
H |
5 |
Tom Clover |
|
108 |
TAJANIS (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Chris Waller |
|
109 |
TAPILDOODLEDO (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Kerry Taplin |
|
110 |
THE MAP |
M |
7 |
Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray |
|
111 |
THEDOCTOROFLOVE |
G |
4 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
|
112 |
TORRANZINO (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Paul Preusker |
|
113 |
TRAV (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Raymond Connors |
|
114 |
TREASURETHE MOMENT |
M |
4 |
Matt Laurie |
|
115 |
TRINITY COLLEGE (IRE) |
H |
4 |
Chris Waller |
|
116 |
VALIANT KING (GB) |
G |
6 |
Chris Waller |
|
117 |
VAUBAN (FR) |
G |
8 |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
|
118 |
VIA SISTINA (IRE) |
M |
8 |
Chris Waller |
|
119 |
WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) |
G |
6 |
Glen Thompson |
|
120 |
ZARDOZI |
M |
5 |
Ciaron Maher |
