CHRIS Waller has been the nation’s leading Group 1 trainer for six consecutive years but maintains his stable has been in a rebuilding phase for the past two seasons.

This was no idle boast, more a statement of fact.

“We have a lot of nice horses coming through, we are going to have a good presence in the spring,’’ Waller said.

“The stable has been in this rebuilding phase for the last couple of years and I could see these young horses starting to come through 12 months ago, so it is very exciting.’’

Waller made these comments in the aftermath of Unforgotten’s highly impressive win in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes at Royal Randwick last Saturday.

It’s an ominous warning to potential spring carnival rivals because Waller prepared the winners of 24 Group 1 races in the past two seasons.

Waller’s champion mare Winx won 12 majors during this period and is still at the peak of her powers, as evidenced by her comeback win in the Group 1 Winx Stakes last month and a brilliant barrier trial before the Randwick opener last Saturday.

Winx will race next in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on September 15 as she is readied for her bid to win an unprecedented fourth Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley next month.

Unforgotten announced herself as possibly racing’s “next big thing” with her dynamic Chelmsford win, drawing particular praise from Waller and jockey Hugh Bowman.

Waller described Unforgotten as “very special” and Bowman said the mare was a “Group 1 horse”.

The Caulfield Cup is likely to be her main aim this spring.

But Waller won’t be relying on just these two mares in the big races because his stable has a deep pool of equine talent.

Egg Tart (fourth) and Youngstar (fifth) were very unlucky in the Tramway Stakes behind stablemates Comin’ Through and Tom Melbourne.

D’Argento, who had a solo exhibition gallop before Winx’s trial at Randwick, is looming as the stable’s main Epsom Handicap hopeful and is due to race in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Waller also has an outstanding three-year-old team, a number of whom will be on show on Saturday.

They include unbeaten The Autumn Sun, who resumes in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m), while Performer, Zousain and Lean Mean Machine will run in the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m).

The Autumn Sun, who contested Winx’s trial, hasn’t raced since his win in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins Stakes (1600m) at Doomben in June but is forward enough for 1500m first-up on Saturday, according to Waller.

“I could have run him in the 1200m of the Run To The Rose but he would get a Group 1 penalty in that race,’’ Waller said.

“I didn’t want to see him vulnerable at that trip. He is fit enough to go to 1500m.

“It is still the plan to run in the Golden Rose. I’d like to see him pretty dominant in the Stan Fox as he has to come back 100m for that race start.’’

ARTIST MAKES WAY BACK TO ARENA
TRAPEZE Artist, the early favourite for The Everest, starts his campaign towards the world’s richest turf race when he resumes in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Trapeze Artist has been at the top of Everest betting since winning successive Group 1 races, the TJ Smith Stakes and All Aged Stakes at Randwick during the autumn carnival.

But Trapeze Artist will need to race well first-up or he could be replaced as Everest favourite by defending champ Redzel who was brilliant winning the Concorde Stakes in fast time at Randwick last Saturday.

NO DECISION ON EVEREST FOR KEMENTARI
GODOLPHIN trainer James Cummings said no decision has been made about whether Kementari would be aimed at the $13 million The Everest next month.

Kementari was wide throughout and produced a phenomenal effort to finish the closest of seconds to Humidor in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday.

Slot-holders Max Whitby and Neil Werrett, and the ATC, have Kementari on their short-list with Cummings indicating a decision on the four-year-old’s spring campaign will be made later this week.

WEIR OVERFLOWS AGAIN
TRAINER Darren Weir, who netted five winners including the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, is hoping his stable’s winning momentum continues with boom sprinter Nature Strip lines up in the McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Nature Strip must win commandingly to earn an Everest slot as his likely opponents include three-time Group 1 winner and Everest starter Shoals.

Weir’s confirmed Everest runner, Brave Smash, pleased with his first-up third behind Sydney sprinter Ball Of Muscle in The Heath Stakes last Saturday. The Anthony Freedman-trained Santa Ana Lane, who joins stablemate Shoals in The Everest, did his chances no harm with his fast finishing fifth.

CAULFIELD CATCHES OUT CLAPPER
HAPPY Clapper struggled to handle Caulfield when closing late to finish seventh behind Humidor in the Memsie Stakes.

Trainer Pat Webster said Happy Clapper will remain in Melbourne for the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington in two weeks but he is having second thoughts about running the gelding at Caulfield again this spring.

Webster will enter Happy Clapper for the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick on September 29 when nominations close on Monday and hinted his stable star could return to Sydney after his next start to continue his spring campaign.

RANDWICK SNAPSHOT WITH RON DUFFICY

RUN OF THE DAY
A few options but in typical Chris Waller style he has handled Unforgotten beautifully and even though she is already a group 1 winner I don’t think he has touched the sides with her yet. I’d love to know what’s going through Waller’s head with her as far as if he presses the button with her big time this spring or treads water until the autumn.

FORGET THEY RAN
How long is a piece of string but so many forgive runs. Quackerjack, Sanjita, Safe Landing, Egg Tart, Youngstar, Sambro and the list could go on.

THE BLACK BOOK
Lots of obvious black bookers and although there are plenty of good looking 3YO fillies around Pretty In Pink is going to be competitive in anything she contests.

RIDE OF THE DAY
Bowman was terrific and had the punters cheering with his ride on Unforgotten but you have to admire Michael Walker’s arrogance and belief in his own ability, he’s a big time performer.

NSW RACING – THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday: Taree

Tuesday: Newcastle

Wednesday: Randwick Kensington

Thursday: Gosford, Ballina

Friday: Tuncurry

Saturday: Rosehill Gardens, Kembla Grange, Collarenebri, Griffith

Sunday: Muswellbrook, Gundagai