Latest News

By Ray Hickson

It’s not normal practice for champion trainer Chris Waller to get ahead of himself with progressive horses like Frumos but it wouldn’t surprise him if the unbeaten mare found herself in stakes company sooner rather than later.

The Northern Hemisphere bred five-year-old has been a winter find and attempts to stretch her streak to four and take another step up the ladder in the Campbelltown Catholic Club Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Waller said it’s very much one step at a time – the mare’s rating is still just 73 – but what she’s done so far can’t be faulted.

“There are plenty of options through to the end of the carnival,’’ Waller said.

“There’s a lot of steps to go but it is good when they are doing it like she is.

“You guys are seeing just as much as I am. She’s just a plain Jane at home but it’s amazing over that last 100m, whether it be Newcastle or Rosehill last start, the good turn of foot she has.

“And Sur La Mer backed it up last week with a good win.”

Frumos wins at Rosehill on July 16

It’s been four weeks since Frumos completed the hat-trick, and transitioned from provincial to Saturday company, with a dominant last to first heavy track win over the 1400m at Rosehill.

As Waller mentioned, she easily accounted for stablemate Sur La Mer, who stepped out two weeks later for a similarly impressive victory, but now has an extra 4kg to carry on, with Rosehill rated Soft 5 on Wednesday, possibly the firmest surface she’s struck to date.

To bridge the gap, and potentially open up stakes options with a freshen up, Frumos had an easy barrier trial at Warwick Farm on August 5.

“It was four weeks between runs and if you strike a wet track this time of year they don’t run as well and recover as well,’’ he said.

“Even the training tracks are still catching up after winter. If you can give them a soft trial it’s like a pre-season game without the pressure so I love the trials.”

Hugh Bowman rides Frumos, $1.95 with TAB on Wednesday, for the first time at Rosehill and she'll jump from the outside alley.

Meanwhile, co-trainer Adrian Bott says he would love a firmer surface to give the in-form Riduna, freshened up since a last start second on a heavy track at Randwick a month ago, her best chance to topple the favourite.

Riduna was an all the way winner at Newcastle second-up before finding Kanazawa a bit too good on a heavy surface.

“She is a much better filly on top of the ground,’’ Bott said.

“She’s deep into her campaign but she is in good shape so I think she will run a very consistent race.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting