Waller's Babies Two to Follow from Newcastle

Champion trainer Chris Waller produced two 2-year-old winners at Newcastle on Saturday that could well measure up to much better races in the spring.

The first came with the striking Husson (ARG) colt Octavian Augustus who was making his career debut over 1150 metres on the Beaumont track.

Given a polished ride by Chad Lever, Octavian Augustus (pictured as a yearling) raced just off the speed and needed to go around just one horse to power away for a two and a half lengths win over the Zoffany (IRE) gelding Eyezoff with Sepoy filly Tirone Miss back in third.

Octavian Augustus is another pinhooking success story for Kulani Park's Rhys and Chloe Smith who purchased the son of globetrotting mare Sun Classique for $165,000 before on-selling him for $325,000 through the Kitchwin Hills draft at the 2015 Inglis Easter Yearling sale.

He is the third live foal and first winner for Sun Classique.

The Australian-bred daughter of Fuji Kiseki was honoured as champion three-year-old filly in South Africa with three wins at the highest level, the Cape Fillies Guineas, the Fancourt Majorca Stakes and the Woolavington at Durban in 2007.

Sent by trainer Mike de Kock to Dubai, Sun Classique reeled off three wins in as many starts including the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic before being retired due to injury when preparing for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Newmarket.

Covered by Oasis Dream, to southern hemisphere time, Sun Classique was purchased by Nathan Tinkler for $2 million at the 2012 Inglis Easter Broodmare sale.

Octavian Augustus is the final foal of the $4.2 million earner who died in died in August 2014.

As impressive as Octavian Augustus was, Chris Waller's second 2-year-old winner, High Mist, left fans stunned when coming from a hopeless position on the turn.

While supporters of first season sires Smart Missile and Canford Cliffs were cheering on the warring Gadfly and Princess Posh, High Mist came with a barnstorming finish down the outside fence under Chad Lever to win by a short-head.

An Ingham racing homebred, the son of High Chaparral (IRE) is the first foal of the Encosta de Lago mare Miss Mushu who was an $800,000 Easter Yearling purchase.

A daughter of the dual Group II winner and multiple Group 1 placed Lady Mulan (Bigstone), Miss Mushu placed three times in Sydney in an 8-start career.

She was sold to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for $42,000 at the 2014 Inglis Easter Broodmare.

The Stryker colt she was carrying died after birth and Miss Mushu missed to Redoute's Choice in 2014. She was covered by Olympic Glory (IRE) last spring.