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By Ray Hickson

It’s a potential big spring pay day for often underestimated gelding Lindermann at Rosehill on Saturday that the Chris Waller stable isn’t going to deny him because of an outside barrier.

Chris Waller's assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth. (Pic: Kontrym Photo).

The six-year-old is often racing in the shadow of his luminous stablemates like Via Sistina and Fangirl but the Group 2 $2 million Toyota Forklifts Hill Stakes (1900m) has been identified by Waller as a race tailor made for him.

Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth admits the wide gate at the 1900m start will make Lindermann’s job a touch harder but says he couldn’t be going better.

“There’s massive prizemoney on offer and it’s a perfect race for him,’’ Duckworth said.

“He’s been so tough all preparation. He often gets half written off like a second tier horse.

“All of his form is rock solid it’s just incredibly hard to win those races. This is a perfect opportunity for him to pump up his bank balance but it just makes it awkward from the draw.”

Lindermann, $2.40 with TAB on Thursday, is a Group 1 winner and has won six of his 33 starts and collected almost $2.5 million.

He led all the way to win the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m), beating Sir Delius, second-up then returned to the Randwick mile where he gave Fangirl a huge scare going down narrowly in the $1 million 7 Stakes.

Duckworth said when it comes to handling the draw he’s happy to leave it to Nash Rawiller, who knows the horse as well as anyone and reported to the stable after trackwork this week the horse couldn’t be going better.

“Nash galloped Kovalica as well, he had to stick with Lindermann and has a good association with both horses and said they’re both absolutely flying,” Duckworth said.

“He’ll be a bit upset with the barrier draw but it’s the right type of race for him.”

On the subject of Kovalica, Duckworth said he’s falling into a similar category as Lindermann, though doesn’t have the front-running style, and races like the Hill Stakes are great targets for him.

He’s also a six-year-old, a winner of over $4 million, and broke a two-year drought when winning the Q22 at Eagle Farm in June.

The gelding ran an improved fifth behind Lindermann second-up and with the blinkers on Duckworth said he’s on track to run well.

“He’s drawn soft to get a perfect run,’’ he said.

“He’s a tough seasoned gelding and these races are just perfect for him. It keeps longevity in them because they don’t just get retired.”

The third of the Waller team in the Hill Stakes is another Group 1 winner in Militarize and while he showed a lot of promise before being retired to stud he hasn’t quite regained his best since returning as a gelding.

“I think he’s just looking for distance, I think we’ll ride him back to chase more,’’ Duckworth said.

“The distance will be his friend and that slight tier below could help him get a bit of confidence.”

Arguably the most interesting runner from the Waller stable at Rosehill is American mare Pounce who makes her local debut in the Group 3 $250,000 The Nivison (1200m).

Pounce, owned by John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, is a dual Group 3 winner in the USA and earlier this year ran fourth in the Pegasus World Cup.

She’s trialled twice for Waller and Duckworth is confident she’ll only improve on whatever she does in The Nivison at a trip he feels could be a little sharp for her.

Lindermann runs second in the 7 Stakes

“She should run well and has drawn well to get a decent run,’’ he said.

“She’s still adapting but once she gets up over a suitable distance she will be a genuine contender. She hasn’t missed a beat since arriving with us.

“We have a little sample (of American horses) and it’s always interesting to see where the form marries up but she looks like she will make the grade.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill