Chris Waller will have just one Group One runner at Randwick on Saturday and admits he is on a fact-finding mission with Metal Bender in the TJ Smith Stakes.The Randwick and Rosehill Guineas winner of 2009, Metal Bender was formerly trained by the late Jack Denham and transferred to Waller earlier this year.The four-year-old hasn't raced since finishing second to Pompeii Ruler in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick last April.He suffered a leg injury in August which forced h
Chris Waller will have just one Group One runner at Randwick on Saturday and admits he is on a fact-finding mission with Metal Bender in the TJ Smith Stakes.
The Randwick and Rosehill Guineas winner of 2009, Metal Bender was formerly trained by the late Jack Denham and transferred to Waller earlier this year.
The four-year-old hasn't raced since finishing second to Pompeii Ruler in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick last April.
He suffered a leg injury in August which forced him to miss the spring and Waller said he would have just two or three starts this preparation.
"I'm still learning about him and the TJ will probably be too short," Waller said.
"But I still expect him to run a nice race.
"The plan is to take him to Queensland for the Hollindale Stakes and the Doomben Cup.
"That will tide him over till the spring. I couldn't leave him idle over the winter and I want him to get the taste of racing again."
Another getting the taste of racing again is expensive import Warringah who finally gave Waller something to be pleased about with his 5-1/2-length sixth to Precedence in the Manion Cup (2400m) last Saturday week.
He and The Embassy will contest Saturday's Group Two Chairman's Handicap (2600m).
Although Warringah beat just two runners home in the Manion, it was a vast improvement on his 40 lengths last to The Embassy in the Randwick City Stakes (2000m) two weeks earlier.
"I was rapt with him the other day," Waller said.
"He is getting his confidence back and he is getting to where he needs to be."
The Embassy finished third in the Manion and after initially being disappointed and believing he didn't stay the distance, Waller had a change of heart.
"We'll give him another try," he said.
"They sprinted home in 34-1/2 (seconds) and not many can do that.
"We'll see what he can do on Saturday."
The Chairman's Handicap is the traditional lead-up to the Sydney Cup and has attracted a field of 11 including 2008 Sydney Cup winner No Wine No Song.