by Richard Edmunds
Rain wreaked havoc at Aquis Park Gold Coast on Saturday, but Life Less Ordinary (Ire) (Thewayyouare {USA}) surged through the mud to record the biggest win of his career in the G2 TAB A.D. Hollindale S.
He led home a quinella for champion trainer Chris Waller, beating Mister Sea Wolf (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}) by two and a quarter lengths.
It was Waller’s third Hollindale win, following on from Metal Bender (NZ) (Danasinga) in 2010 and My Kingdom of Fife (GB) (Kingmambo {USA}) in 2011.
An afternoon of heavy rain saturated Saturday’s crowd, prompted track downgrades to Heavy 9 and then Heavy 10, and forced a slew of scratchings throughout the day – particularly in the G3 Gold Coast Guineas, which lost its $1.50 favourite Zoustyle (Zoustar) and was reduced to a field of seven.
But the conditions held few fears for Life Less Ordinary in the $500,000 Hollindale. Some of his best form had been on rain-affected tracks, including his only previous black-type win – a four-length romp in last year’s Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup on soft ground.
On Saturday he took his career to a new level. After settling halfway back in the depleted field of 13, jockey Jason Collett brought him to the outside at the top of the straight and turned him loose.
Life Less Ordinary got through the testing track better than any other, taking control at the 200-metre mark and powering clear for an emphatic victory.
"He is one of those horses who can keep the Group One horses honest." - Trainer Chris Waller
Mister Sea Wolf took second by half a length from the front-running Hallelujah Boy (Jpn) (Tosen Phantom {Jpn}), who earned his place in the field off the ballot and held on well for third.
Raced by a syndicate headed by long-time Waller client Richard Pegum, Life Less Ordinary has now had 39 starts for eight wins, 15 placings and just under $820,000 in stakes.
“He isn't the best horse in the stable and he is below the best Group One horses,” Waller said. "But he is what Australian racing needs. He is one of those horses who can keep the Group One horses honest. Australian racing really needs horses like them to keep our depth solid."
Winning connections of Life Less Ordinary
Waller’s squad all Doomben Cup-bound
As well as his quinella-makers, Waller was pleased with the performance of fifth-placed Youngstar (High Chaparral) and reported that all three would now carry on towards the G1 Doomben Cup in two weeks’ time.
“They all raced well – I thought Youngstar was good today as well,” the trainer said. “All three will press on to the Doomben Cup and they should all race well. I am looking forward to it.”
Youngstar
Youngstar is a proven Group 1 performer, winning last year’s Queensland Oaks and running second to champion stablemate Winx in the Turnbull S. during the spring.
For Life Less Ordinary, the Doomben Cup will be a sixth shot at Group 1 level. He ran ninth in the Metropolitan H. in 2017, then 12th in the Kingston Town Classic in Perth later that year.
He was a close sixth in last year’s Doomben Cup, then was beaten by only 1.95 lengths when fifth in the Cantala S. at Flemington. He was eighth in last month’s Doncaster in Sydney, beaten by 3.9 lengths.
Stakes double for Pegum
Life Less Ordinary was the second stakes winner in a 24-hour period for Pegum’s colours.
The Waller-trained Abdon (GB) (Cacique {Ire}) brought up the first leg of that double in Friday’s Wagga Wagga Gold Cup – a race Life Less Ordinary had won in 2018.
Abdon, who placed in last month’s G3 Doncaster Prelude at Rosehill, is now the winner of four of his 25 starts and more than $380,000 in stakes.
