Waller's small but select team at Randwick

Group One winners Shellscrape and Pressday head a small but select team for Chris Waller at Saturday's feature meeting at Randwick as Sydney's leading trainer ramps up preparations for the autumn carnival.Galaxy winner Shellscrape runs in the Group Three Southern Cross Stakes while Pressday, who took out the TJ Smith Classic at Eagle Farm last season, runs in the Group Two Royal Sovereign Stakes.But it is the progress of Shellscrape's full-sister Red Tracer that has Waller excited as she steps u

Galaxy winner Shellscrape runs in the Group Three Southern Cross Stakes while Pressday, who took out the TJ Smith Classic at Eagle Farm last season, runs in the Group Two Royal Sovereign Stakes.

But it is the progress of Shellscrape's full-sister Red Tracer that has Waller excited as she steps up to stakes company in the Group Two Light Fingers Stakes against proven performers of the calibre of Secret Admirer and More Strawberries.

"Shellscrape and Red Tracer worked together on Monday morning and she had him covered from all angles," Waller said.

"He is not a flash trackworker so it's hard to know if he was just doing his normal thing and she was that much better, or perhaps he had an off day.

"But I am very happy with her. She has a good draw (three), a good jockey in Glyn Schofield and everything is in her favour.

"She hasn't taken a backward step since her first-up win and is a foolproof racehorse.

"We won't know until she races these better horses but maybe if they have a soft spot we have an advantage."

The potential of the filly was underlined when she was backed from an opening quote of $4.60 in to $3.60 equal favourite with the Gai Waterhouse-trained More Strawberries with TAB Sportsbet on Wednesday.

Shellscrape had a chequered passage when a close second to Ortensia in the Galaxy (1100m) but was promoted after the mare was disqualified due to a positive test to a banned substance.

He hasn't raced since finishing out of the placings in the Group Two Salinger Stakes at Flemington in October, his first experience of a wet track.

"He is in great order but I would have preferred a better barrier than eight," Waller said.

"We are yet to work out where to ride him, it might be up to Glyn (Schofield)."

Schofield, who rides all five of Waller's horses on Saturday, has ridden Shellscrape in two recent barrier trials.

He has had one ride on Pressday in a trial and rode Widden Stakes contender Ingham Magic in a trial last week.

Nash Rawiller, who rode Red Tracer in her last-start win on January 29, is committed to More Strawberries.

Pressday has had two trials to get him ready for his first assignment since he won the Sandown Guineas in November.

"He has barrier 12 but he is very versatile and can get back or go forward so I'll leave it up to Glyn," Waller said.

Ingham Magic goes into the Widden after missing a start as an emergency in last month's Magic Millions while Stand To Gain kicks off his Sydney Cup campaign in the `Meet Me At The Bellevue After The Last' Hcp (1600m).