Racing: Waller has classy team in feature

Photo / Thinkstock

Kelinni's path to the Melbourne Cup continues on Saturday at Warwick Farm with his autumn performances pivotal to his chances in the spring.

The gelding gave trainer Chris Waller a real taste of what it would be like to win Australia's most famous race with his game fourth last year.

The Waller-trained Shoot Out is the defending titleholder and likely favourite in the Chipping Norton (1600m), with the stable to have a possible five runners in the first group one race of the Sydney autumn.

Waller believes Shoot Out can get the job done as he did in the spring when he went to the George Main Stakes first-up.

Shoot Out and Kelinni will be joined by 2011 Chipping Norton winner Danleigh, Albert The Fat and Gatewood.

Kelinni and English import Gatewood are being aimed at the weight-for-age double of the Ranvet (2000m) and BMW (2400m).

"The autumn is important for Kelinni," Waller said.

"He's headed to the BMW. To be competitive in a Melbourne Cup he has to be competitive in the BMW.

"If he's not and he shows us that we can change and head to the Sydney Cup."

Kelinni's win in the Lexus earned him a place in the 2012 Cup but Gatewood missed out on a start.

"I think Gatewood is a middle-distance horse and that's what we will be doing with him," Waller said.

Shoot Out was scratched from the Apollo Stakes at Warwick Farm because of a track downgrade in the afternoon but showed his readiness with a barrier trial win last week.

Danleigh ran second to surprise Apollo winner Alma's Fury, while Kelinni was fourth, Gatewood was sixth and Albert The Fat a well beaten ninth in the heavy ground.

"Shoot Out is fit and he won over the Randwick mile first-up last time and that is a tougher course," Waller said.

"Danleigh is always a tough competitor. For the others it's hard to take much out of the race the other day because of the wet ground."

Manighar, winner of the 2012 Ranvet-BMW double, will also be entered along with Alma's Fury who will be given his chance in group one company.

Glencadam Gold, another who didn't handle the ground in the Apollo will also be entered.

- AAP