3 minute read
Regional trainers don’t dare dream of improving discarded Chris Waller-trained Stakes gallopers, so for Bathurst doyen Gayna Williams it was about patience and time in her attempt.
Gayna Williams is hoping to rebirth the disappointing but regally bred Overlord ($10 on TAB) into the $120,000 TAB Highway at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
The now six-year-old gelding is by Sebring out of Waller's multiple Group I and 2-winning mare Red Tracer of a decade ago.
Overlord has 61kg in a Class 3, 1300m, less a 3.5kg claim for apprentice Hannah Williams.
While latest preparations suggest Overlord is well past his best, there's a glimmer of hope way back in grade to a country Class 3 off competitive races in successive city benchmark 72 events.
Gayna's former Country Championships contender Tags ($8.50) also contests the episode with 57.5kg and a half kilo claim for Reece Jones.
"Their form this prep after time off has been really pleasing and in the case of Overlord in much stronger city benchmark races," Gayna explained.
"Early in his career he contested Group One and Two races. His owner Geoff Grimish bred him originally.
"After he came to us, we gave him a good long spell and we've had him for the two preps, since October last year and some freshens into Saturday.
"His last two runs in benchmark 72 races in town, he's been beaten less than two lengths closing off nicely.
"Really pleasing runs in better grade, for a country class 3, well in with Hannah's claim and the upside. We've got expectations into Saturday."
Intriguingly way back in 2020 Overlord was considered good enough by Waller to contest the 2020 Group I, J J Atkins and the Group 2 Ming Dynasty when in the market.
But eventually he failed to progress off two modest early wins. He was moved on by the Waller stable after three unplaced efforts when firm in the market in small fields at Canterbury Park last August and October.
Then Gayna gave him a 20-week spell and started all over. Latest starts beaten a length at Canterbury and 1.5 lengths at the Kensington Track, gives Gayna encouragement.
"He's drawn the rails, can race forward and has the weight relief."
Meanwhile, different tactics will be tried with powerful Tags who has been conceding impossible starts albeit over distances too short.
"We've informed the stewards we intent to ride him more forward, he's just been getting too far out of his ground but 1300m is getting to his preferable distance range off 1100m and 1200m Highway races.
"He's just been so tough and genuine for us."
Tags sure has. Genuine and talented enough to qualify for last season's Country Championships Final at headquarters but cruelly went lame.
His classy stablemate Zoo Station who won the Mudgee CDRA qualifier beating Tags also went amiss and has been retired. So Gayna is long overdue for some luck in the big city.
