The G1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) and G1 Surround Stakes (1400m) headline Saturday’s (25 February) simulcast meeting from Randwick in Sydney, Australia and loom as a showdown between the city’s two most powerful trainers – Chris Waller and James Cummings.

Waller has trained the Chipping Norton Stakes winner in ten of the past 12 years and won the Surround Stakes for the first time last year. However, he is the underdog in this contest as Godolphin-backed Cummings, who is yet to win either race, has the two likely favourites in Anamoe and In Secret.

Anamoe chases the eighth Group 1 of his career in the Chipping Norton Stakes with James McDonald, who’s been aboard in all but one of the previous seven top-level wins, taking the ride.

Hugh Bowman, meanwhile, has been cleared by The Hong Kong Jockey Club to return to Australia to ride In Secret in the Surround Stakes. The mount became available after Nash Rawiller incurred a careless riding suspension.

"He’s (Bowman) ridden her once and she went fantastic," Cummings said in reference to the second of In Secret’s five wins from seven starts, “And we’re looking forward to Saturday with both horses.”

Waller’s Chipping Norton challenge centres on star fillies Hinged and Fangirl, who finished second and third, respectively, behind Anamoe in the G2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) on 11 February, along with El Bodegon who was luckless in the same race.

The New Zealand-born trainer will be represented in the Surround Stakes by Zougotcha and Madame Pommery, who each won 1600m Group 1 fillies races last year.

Madame Pommery finished strongly when a just over a length away in fourth to In Secret in the G2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) on 11 February while Zougotcha was scratched from that race due to an elevated temperature.

Waller reports that the filly is “fully recovered” and she is one of only two horses to have beaten In Secret.

Waller has trained 16 Group 1 winners since the start of last season; ahead of Cummings on 12 and the combination of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace – also on 12 – who have Ruthless Dame contesting the Surround Stakes.