Chris Waller has given 2023 Melbourne Cup favourite Soulcombe a pass mark after the former English stayer finished unplaced at his Australian debut at Randwick.
Waller was far from discouraged after Soulcombe finished sixth to Banju in the Drinkwise Mile (1600m) with both the trainer and the horse’s jockey James Mcdonald saying the four-year-old found the distance too sharp.
“He was fine. The Tancred is his race,” Waller said.
“James (McDonald) said they sprinted from the 700 (metres) and he was out of his comfort zone over a mile.
“He will be fine and he’ll bounce out of it.
“He will go 2000-metres next start then 2400-metres.”
Waller identified the Randwick City Stakes (2000m) on March 4 as the next step for Soulcombe, ahead of the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) three weeks later.
Metropolitan winner No Compromise also resumed behind Banju, rocketing home along the rails to grab second in an eye-catching return.
Waller wasn’t surprised to see the Group 1 winner perform so well fresh and said the Sky High Stakes (2000m) and Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) were his likely goals.
“He goes good fresh and we’ve probably always started him over 1400 (metres), but he has run like that fresh before,” Waller said.
“A race like the Sky High Stakes is perfect for him, 2000-metres at set weights, and if he won that he’d go to the Tancred.”