Patrick Erin is being set on a Cups path this year  photo: Bradley Photography

Expat New Zealand trainer Chris Waller will have six runners in the Gr.2 The Star Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, including glamour mare Winx and Group One winners Patrick Erin and Unforgotten.

While Winx is expected to continue her winning ways on Saturday, Waller said the race is also a good stepping stone for his other runners.

New Zealand-bred galloper Patrick Erin broke through at elite level last year when winning the Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m) and is being set on a cups path this year.

“He is a very good stayer and he will be getting home well over the last 200m,” Waller said. 

“He is on a path towards the BMW (Gr.1, 2400m), I would say he will almost definitely head on a Sydney Cup (Gr.1, 3200m) path following that and then we will be looking at the Melbourne Cup (Gr.1, 3200m) in the spring with him, all going to plan.”

New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Unforgotten will also line-up in the race. 

“She has come back very well and should be in for a good autumn and in normal years you would say she would be a genuine chance of winning the race, so don’t discount her,” Waller said.

Waller, who purchased Unforgotten out of Curraghmore’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for $360,000, is hoping she can gain a berth into the All Star Mile (1600m), along with stablemate Egg Tart.

“Unforgotten and Egg Tart shouldn’t be discounted in the All Star Mile and we would be hoping with one of these two horses that we pick up a wild card should we decide to head down that path,” he said. 

“If not, obvious races like the Doncaster which carries Group One status is a little more important for them.”