| Chris Waller | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Horse Trainer |
| Born | (1974-03-05) 5 March 1974 (age 50)[1] Foxton, New Zealand |
| Honours | |
| New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame Australian Racing Hall of Fame | |
| Significant horses | |
| Winx, Sacred Falls, Verry Elleegant, Yes Yes Yes, Brazen Beau, Nature Strip | |
Chris Waller (born 5 March 1974), is a Hall of Fame trainer in Australian Thoroughbred racing best known for training the racemare Winx, a four-time winner of Australian Horse of the Year honours.[2]
Chris Waller grew up on his parents' dairy farm in Himatangi, near Palmerston North. He became interested in racing watching horses such as Melbourne Cup winner Kiwi and jockeys such as Jimmy Cassidy.
Waller worked for Foxton-based horse trainer, Patrick ("Paddy") Busuttin who was known for his top stayer Castletown. He progressed to stable foreman and when Busuttin moved to Singapore, Waller commenced training on his own account. His first winner was Go Morgan at Trentham Racecourse in 1997.[3]
On 12 February 2000, he won the Group 3 Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) at Wingatui with Ripon By, for the Dawn Fox's syndicate.[4]
In 1998, Waller took a horse called Party Belle to New South Wales to race. She won three races in Australia, a 2100m maiden at Wyong in September 1998 (ridden by Opie Bosson), followed by a Class 1 and a Class 2 at Kembla Grange before attempting but failing in a listed race at Randwick. Party Belle then raced in New Zealand unsuccessfully before Waller took her back to Sydney the following winter when, she won three more races in May 1999 at Randwick and Warwick Farm, ridden by Larry Cassidy.[5]
Waller applied for and obtained 20 horse boxes at Rosehill and commenced training there in 2000. Initially he had limited funds but he built his training operation up over time. His first Group 1 winner came in April 2008 when he won the Doncaster Handicap with Triple Honour (NZ).
He extended his operation with stables at Flemington, the Gold Coast and Warwick Farm.
On 24 April 2021, Chris brought up 125 Group 1 victories when Kolding won the All Aged Stakes at Randwick.
On 2 November 2021 Waller won his first Melbourne Cup with his horse Verry Elleegant.
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