Champion trainer Chris Waller took until Tuesday morning to lock in his two main jockeys to their Everest rides, but the champion trainer believes Ben Melham might be the most important for the $20 million sprint at Randwick on Saturday.
Waller goes into the Everest with three undeniable chances, and the world’s best jockey, James McDonald, will ride Joliestar, with Damian Lane on Lady Shenandoah, but Waller saved his strong praise for Melham with his knowledge of Angel Capital.
“It was a case with the other two of sitting down and going through all the factors and working out which jockey suits which horse best,” Waller said.
“Even though Damian won the Newmarket on Joliestar, I feel James gets the best out of her.”
“Damien rides for us a lot and I feel he would be better on Lady Shenandoah.
“They are tough decisions and as you can see, they take a while to make.”
“The one thing which was always going to happen was Ben riding Angel Capital; he is very important to him.”
McDonald has four wins from six rides on Joliestar, with his only unplaced steer a luckless effort in The Everest last year.
It left Lane with Lady Shenandoah, who he hasn’t ridden, after Waller chose to get Melham back on Angel Capital.
“Ben was the first one we locked in. He knows Angel Capital better than me, and he has taught me a few things about him,” Waller said.
“He is a bit of tricky horse, and although I have been training him for several months, Ben has shown us a few things about him.”
“He has been riding him since he was a young horse and has so much faith in his ability. There isn’t any better man to ride Angel Capital in any race.”
Melham was booked more than two weeks ago and rode Angel Capital in last week’s Everest barrier trial.
There have been reasons why he has not been on him this campaign, Melham was suspended when Angel Capital was a devastating winner in the Chautauqua Stakes first-up and couldn’t make the 53.5kg for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, where Angel Capital was a certainty beaten when fourth.
