Ciaron Maher has won the last two CF Orr Stakes and has three of the 13 nominations for Saturday's Group 1 at Sandown, but Chris Waller's pair loom as the big threats.
The Victorian spring has one more Group 1 to go. The $1 million CF Orr Stakes (1400m, weight-for-age) is run at Sandown on Saturday, and it is the last Group 1 on the Victorian calendar for 2026. Sandown hosted most of the race's runnings from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s, so it's a homecoming of sorts.
Maher goes for three in a row
Ciaron Maher won the last two editions, with Another Wil and then Jimmysstar. Both are among his three nominations, along with Warnie. Jimmysstar won the Group 1 Manikato Stakes in September but was disappointing at his latest start, finishing seventh at a short price. Maher believes he goes better on a bigger track, and Sandown's long straight should suit.
A win would be another Group 1 in a big spring for Maher, which already includes The Everest with Tempted and last week's Melbourne Cup trifecta led by Point Of Law.
The Waller pair
Chris Waller's spring has been just as strong. He won four Group 1s across the Flemington carnival, including Birdman's Champions Stakes and Autumn Glow's Champions Mile. He has two nominations:
- Angel Capital – runner-up in this race last year
- Beiwacht – James McDonald is booked for his first ride on the horse, and his first Sandown ride in eight years
The nominations
Angel Capital, Another Wil, Beiwacht, Desert Lightning, Jimmysstar, Pericles, Sepals, Shadhavar, Splash Back, Steparty, War Machine, Warnie, Zou Sensation.
Angel Capital, Beiwacht and Jimmysstar share the top of the early market. Bjorn Baker's Pericles is next.
The punting angle
McDonald flying in for Beiwacht shows the Waller stable is serious. Still, the key form question is Jimmysstar: was his last run a one-off, or is he past his best for the season? At these early prices, the three leaders are hard to split. Wait for the barrier draw. Sandown's big track takes some of the sting out of a wide gate, but not all of it.