Waller chasing Oaks success for son of former star sprinter

Like most who buy at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Denise Martin might have dreamt of rich Group 1 sprint races when she bought Concello at the 2022 offering.

The Star Thoroughbreds boss went to $210,000 for the filly who is a first-crop member of Widden stallion Trapeze Artist.

A son of Snitzel, Trapeze Artist was a star three-year-old, winning the Golden Rose (1400m), T J Smith Stakes (1200m) and All Aged Stakes (1400m), and raced on at four to win the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) in track record time.

But Concello demonstrated early on that her chance of making it at the highest level was going to come in races longer than those events and she will on Saturday start one of the leading fancies in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville.

She showed a liking for the trip with a third placing in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) and Waller considers her the ideal horse for the Australasian Oaks, a race he has won with Egg Tart and Toffee Tongue.

"She was good in the Adian Knox, she's ready for 2000 metres and it's that type of race; you take a second-tier horse on the way up and have a bit of fun," Waller said.

Trapeze Artist is yet to have a winner from limited starters beyond 1600m, but celebrated his maiden Group 1 success at that trip last spring when Griff won the Caulfield Guineas.

Concello is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Senta Helga, whose only two wins came at 2000m and is a sister to Group 1 Champions & Chater Cup (2000m) winner Liberator and the dam of Group 2 The Roses (2000m) winner Etana.

Concello broke her maiden over 1600m at her second start, on December 10, with her other win coming in a 1500m benchmark 64 at Hawkesbury two starts ago.

She has the services of champion jockey James McDonald in the Oaks and will jump from barrier five if third emergency Shut That Door does not gain a start.