Photo: Grant Peters (Trackside Photography)
Champion trainer Chris Waller claimed a fourth straight win in A$250,000 Gr.3 HKJC World Pool Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday, with three of those winners being New Zealand-breds.
Kilman (Super Seth) led all the way for a $25 upset in the 2026 edition of the key Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) trial, following on from the 2025 winner Imperialist, 2024 winner Tannhauser and 2023 winner Special Swey. Kilman, Imperialist and Special Swey all carry the (NZ) suffix.
Saturday’s Rough Habit Plate triumph rewarded the patience of Waller and Kilman’s owners, Neville Morgan and David Devine. The son of former Waikato Stud and now Coolmore stallion Super Seth was a smart winner on debut at Warwick Farm back in March of 2025, but had gone winless in 10 races through the 14 months since then.
There had been some promising performances during that win drought, including big runs for second in the Gr.3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick and fourth in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm in his previous two appearances. On Saturday he stepped up to 2000m and got back in the winning groove.
Kilman had to jump from the extreme outside gate in Saturday’s field of 16 three-year-olds, and jockey Ryan Maloney elected to press forward and take up the lead. That was where he stayed, opening up a four-length margin going into the back of the track and throwing down the gauntlet to his rivals.
Kilman was still full of running coming around the home turn, kicking again and putting three lengths on his closest chaser. He began to tire late in the piece but tenaciously held on to his lead. At the finish line he was still a length and a quarter in front of Beauty Swift, Providence and Southern Prince. New Zealand filly Solid Gold, raced by her breeders Waikato Stud, made an eye-catching run from the back of the field to be close up in fifth.
“I was really rapt with his run the other day (in the Queensland Guineas), and Chris was happy for me to go forward on him today,” Maloney said. “The wide barrier obviously determined how much I had to do to get to the front, but I couldn’t believe how easily I got there. Once we got to the front, he switched off beautifully.
“I thought the fence was as good a place to be as anywhere, it was the shortest way home and he was too good today.
“He’ll definitely relax well enough to get the 2400m of the Derby (at Eagle Farm on May 30). He switched off beautifully for me today. He conserved his energy really well.”
Kilman was offered by Waikato Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock bought him for A$360,000. He has now had 12 starts for two wins, a placing and A$262,375 in stakes.
“He’s made a lot of physical progression,” Waller said. “He ran well in the Carbine Club and Queensland Guineas, and he was excellent again today under a very good ride by Ryan.”
Bred by Waikato Stud, Kilman is out of Listed winner Thy, who finished fourth in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and is a three-quarter sister to New Zealand Champion Three-Year-Old The Jewel and half-sister to Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.2 Surround Stakes (1400m) winner La (Bella) Diosa.
Thy is the dam of three winners from five foals to race, and she is the granddam of Patch Of Cosmo (also by Kilman’s sire Super Seth), who ran third in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and fourth in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
Thy later produced a colt by Noverre, who was offered by Waikato Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2026 earlier this year and was bought by Moody Racing for $200,000.
