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“We’ll hang our hat on him”: Waller’s top Melbourne Cup seed
Andrew Slevison • October 9th, 2025 5:03 pm
Champion trainer Chris Waller has rated his best Melbourne Cup hope in 2025.
Waller, who won the Cup with Verry Elleegant in 2021, has multiple gallopers still in the hunt for the great 3200m race on the first Tuesday in November.
Those still high in the order of entry are Via Sistina, Buckaroo, Moira, Kovalica and Land Legend, among others, but a last start-winner tops the Waller seedings according to the man himself.
Valiant King won his way into the 2025 Cup with a barnstorming finish to claim the Group 3 Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington last weekend under Jye McNeil - the 2020 winner on Twilight Payment.
He now holds the keys for the Waller stable.
“Valiant King,” said Waller on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up when asked for his best Cup chance.
“He’s come back really well - simple as that. Second-up at 2500m, we didn’t expect that, but he was awesome, he was great.
“We’ll hang our hat on him. We’ve got a few others there like Land Legend who just needs to lift in the Caulfield Cup.
“They’re starting to get up to a more interesting distance now, Land Legend and River Of Stars.”
The six-year-old gelding ran in the Cup last year when 13th as a $91 chance. He was decent in the Caulfield Cup earlier last spring when ninth at a massive price again.
Valiant King is currently $15 with Sportsbet for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 4.
Richo’s long-range Cup tip
Racing broadcaster Jason Richardson has given his early tip for the race that stops a nation.
Always a fan of an international raider or an import, Richo is siding with English stayer Furthur who will tackle the two miles at Flemington in just under a month.
“I think I’ve got a long-ranger in the Melbourne Cup,” Richardson said on SEN Breakfast.
“Outside of Sir Delius, I’m not convinced our locals are going that well. I think Sir Delius might end up winning the Cox Plate. He’s a short-priced favourite for the Melbourne Cup. He’s the obvious.
“But if you’re looking for one at a big price, there is a three-year-old European, he has 52kg, and he can go wooshka.
“His name is Furthur. Trained by Andrew Balding, he’s at $34 at the moment. Have something each-way on him. He’s guaranteed to start, he’s about 15th in the order of entry.
“His (St Leger) run was basically identical to Rekindling (in 2017 before he won the Cup).”
Furthur is rated a $34 Cup hope with Sportsbet.
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