By Ray Hickson Premier trainer Chris Waller is warming to Tangled’s chances of claiming the Group 1 $500,000 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday. The Snitzel colt is on the seven day back up after an eye-catching fourth in the Dulcify over the mile and Waller said he’s only now starting to hit his straps despite already being a Group 2 winner. Tangled won the Champagne Classic (1200m) during the Brisbane winter carnival. “He was an immature horse, out of an Oaks winner and what he did as a two-year-old was pretty special in terms of he wasn’t quite ready for it,’’ Waller said. “He’s a more mature horse now, his run on Saturday was the run of a winner and that suggests to me he’s on path.’’
Tangled ($5 TAB Fixed Odds) was beaten half a length by Ataraxia in the Dulcify under 60.5kg, some 7.5kg more than the winner carried, and drops 4kg under the set weights conditions. “He wasn’t suited by the weights last week and he had a chequered path in the straight,’’ Waller said. “The race hasn’t taken anything out of him and I’m looking forward to this weekend.’’ Waller won the 2015 Spring Champion with Vanbrugh. It’s safe to say Dawn Wall let a lot of people down with her second-up fifth behind Washington Heights in the Shannon Stakes at Rosehill on September 23. The four-year-old may have suffered from the second-up syndrome on that occasion as she was narrowly beaten by the same horse when resuming. After some debate Waller elected to send her back to mares grade in the Group 3 $150,000 Angst Stakes (1600m) on Saturday. “She was below par but her work has been good since,’’ he said. “I thought about giving her three weeks between runs and running her in an easier race but she’s a multiple stakes winner so she deserves a chance in this race. Hopefully we see her get back on track.’’