Chris Waller Racing

Chris Waller Racing is, quite simply, the most dominant training operation in Australian thoroughbred racing history. Based at Rosehill in Sydney’s western suburbs, with satellite stables at Flemington in Melbourne and on the Gold Coast, this New Zealand-born trainer has rewritten the record books since establishing his Australian operation in 2000. Waller holds the record for the most Group 1 victories by any trainer in Australian racing — surpassing the legendary Bart Cummings — and has been crowned Sydney’s premier trainer more than a dozen consecutive times. The numbers are staggering.

Stable History

Waller grew up around horses in the Foxton region of New Zealand’s North Island before relocating to Australia to pursue his training ambitions. After spending time as a foreman for other trainers, he struck out on his own and quickly built a reputation for patient, methodical horsemanship. His breakthrough at the elite level came with horses like Triple Honour and Bentley Biscuit, but it was the arrival of a then-unheralded mare named Winx in 2014 that catapulted Waller into a stratosphere occupied by the all-time greats.

Winx, under Waller’s meticulous care, went on to win 33 consecutive races including 25 Group 1 victories — a record that may never be broken. The mighty mare’s four consecutive Cox Plate victories (2015-2018) cemented her status as the greatest racehorse Australia has ever produced, and Waller as the man who unlocked that extraordinary potential. But here’s what really sets Waller apart: it didn’t stop with Winx. He’s trained an astonishing roster of champions including Verry Elleegant (Melbourne Cup 2021), Nature Strip (multiple Group 1 sprints), and countless other elite gallopers.

Trainer Profile

Recent Achievements

The stable continues to dominate Australian racing with a production line of elite gallopers across all distances. Waller’s ability to manage large strings — often exceeding 200 in work at any given time — while maintaining exceptional strike rates at Group level speaks to an operation that masterfully combines scale with attention to detail. His team of foremen, riders, and veterinary staff operate to the highest professional standards, and the stable’s success shows no sign of slowing as it continues to attract the best bloodstock from owners and syndicates across Australasia.

NC — Staff sports writer, australiafootball.com