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Dubbed a “quiet achiever” by trainer Chris Waller, Kolding (Ocean Park) is starting to make a very loud statement through his burgeoning CV, after he toughed it out in a gruelling finish to win the All Aged Stakes at Randwick yesterday.
The 5YO secured his third elite-level victory after holding off the challenge of Godolphin duo Savatiano (Street Cry) and the fastfinishing Cascadian (New Approach) in a thrilling contest, which saw Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) colt Prague once again fly home from the rear, finishing fourth after backing up from his third placing in the Arrowfield Stud Stakes last weekend.
Kolding is the flag bearer in the fledgling career of his Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park (Thorn Park), who keeps the All Aged Stakes in the possession of his sire after Tofane’s win 12 months ago.
His 11 career victories include wins in the Epsom Handicap and the inaugural running of the Golden Eagle (1500m) as a 4YO, while this season he has claimed the George Main Stakes, Hill Stakes and yesterday’s All Aged Stakes, a victory which takes his prize-money haul to beyond $6 million, placing him among the top 20 earners in Australian racing history.
The win was a 125th Gr.1 victory for Chris Waller, 25 with the great Winx (Street Cry) and this a 100th elsewhere, with the trainer gracing the milestone with his usual humility
The silks adorned by Kolding can account for seven of those 100 ‘other’ Gr.1 wins, with owner Neville Morgan having also won the Doncaster Handicap and George Main Stakes with Kermadec (Teofilo), while R a n g i r a n g d o o (Pentire) added the George Ryder Stakes to his Doncaster success in the earlier stages of Chris Waller’s training career. Kolding was sourced by Guy Mulcaster for NZ$170,000 out of the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, the same price paid for Rangirangdoo, and is one of seven winners out of the now deceased mare Magic Star (Danzero), with Kolding a half-brother to Gr.2 winner Sampson (Dubai Destination) and Listed scorer Miss Upstart (Snippetson). He is one of three Gr.1 winners for his sire, Ocean Park, and second this season after Ocean Billy’s success in the Auckland Cup Ocean Park stood last season for a fee of NZ$20,000 (plus GST) at Waikato Stud.