Trainer Chris Waller declares Wootton Verni a Group 1 prospect after powerful win in Rosehill Gold Cup

It was the Waller and James McDonald show again - forty minutes after combining to win the Golden Eagle with Autumn Glow - as Wootton Verni relished the soft conditions to dominate in the Group 3 $750,000 Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m).

Despite overracing at times, Wootton Verni’s superior quality shone through late as the son of the ill-fated Wootton Bassett stormed clear to salute.

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“He is a really progressive horse,” Waller said.

“He has taken him a little while to find the winner’s circle. We sent him to Melbourne to do it. Had the confidence to bring him back for this race here. He is on his way now.”

Wootton Verni is only in his second Australian preparation and has improved the further the campaign has gone on, winning the Group 3 Coongy Cup at Caulfield last start.

McDonald had him perfectly poised two pairs back in his return to Sydney although Wootton Verni raced keenly at times down the back.

It didn’t hamper his finishing burst as McDonald angled off heels at the top of the straight.

Wootton Verni ($2.90 favourite) was in front at the furlong pole and motored away to prevail by 2¼ lengths from stablemate Imperialist ($5.50) with the Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Redstone Well ($19) in third.

“He’s a horse with his tail in the air and they’ve done a good job with him.

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“He just never felt like getting beat, apart from just overdoing it the whole way.

“I think he’s going to develop into a pretty good horse. And with any give in the ground, he thrives on it.”

“He’s got a lot of learning to do. He’s lightly raced, but he’ll be coached through the grades and I’m sure he’ll reach top level.”

Wootton Verni will now head to the paddock with Waller to turn his focus to a pair of Group 1 targets in the autumn.

“I’d like to push toward something like a Ranvet-Tancred Stakes,” he said.

“I think he would be better over 2400m. The Tancred Stakes would probably be his plan in the Autumn.”

Wootton Verni’s main rival in betting Maison Louis had a perfect run in transit but never let down on the heavy going.

Jockey Dylan Gibbons said his “wheels spun on that ground.”

Originally published as Trainer Chris Waller declares Wootton Verni a Group 1 prospect after powerful win in Rosehill Gold Cup