![Chris Waller will test $1.8 million Coolmore colt Horologist at Group 3 level in the Spring Stakes after his impressive Warwick Farm maiden victory. [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/2384788-1.jpg)
Chris Waller has no hesitation pitching Horologist straight from a maiden win into Group company, keen to ascertain whether he has the potential to develop into an autumn carnival contender.
The richly bred son of established stallion Written Tycoon out of Group 1 winner In Her Time cost $1.8 million as a yearling and given he’s owned by a Coolmore-led stallions syndicate, needs to establish his place in the pecking order sooner rather than later.
“He’s a Coolmore colt, they’re only interested in the top league in terms of making stallions,” Waller said.
“It’s not a stallion-making race, but he has to be competitive, otherwise they get traded pretty quickly to Hong Kong, or here in Australia.
“We’ll get him at this level, see where he’s at and work out whether he’s a Guineas horse in the autumn.”
Placed at his first two starts over the winter, Horologist resumed with an impressive 1400m win at Warwick Farm last month.
While his pedigree is more inclined for speed, Waller says the nature of his maiden victory suggests he will handle a 200m distance rise.
“He was a really good winner first up and it was good to see,” he said.
“He steps up to a mile and a Group Three race, but the way he won would suggest he can take that step.
“He’s well bred, he’s a good looking horse. They’re horses who can take the step pretty easily.”
Annabel and Rob Archibald will also use Saturday’s Spring Stakes (1600m) as a litmus test for the unbeaten Prince Of Verona.
The Castelvecchio gelding has progressed from Bathurst to Goulburn to a midweek victory at Warwick Farm and connections are keen to see how he copes with the rise to stakes level.
“I just love the way he’s improved, and every time we’ve asked him to do a bit more, he has,” Rob Archibald said.
“He’s got himself out of trouble once or twice on the way to here, and he’s picked himself up and finished off really well.
“I think he’s a really nice horse that is still a long way from the finished article.
“I’m excited to see him against some Saturday grade horses and we’ll get a really good line on where he fits into his age group.”
With Consulate a scratching, a field of nine will contest the Spring Stakes, including Horologist’s stablemate Katoto, the only filly in the field.
