Racing is a sport built on tradition and dynasties. Numbers are power as they give more chances to win, and the shift has been on for the past few years.

Smith, Hayes and Cummings were known as the dominators in their prime, and ruled the sport for more than 50 years. But nothing lasts forever.

Few could break the lock the trio had on the top of racing. John Hawkes, with the backing of the Inghams at Crown Lodge joined them, as did Lee Freedman and his brothers and Peter Moody. However there has been a common theme through racing for a long time.

Enter Chris Waller. His rise to the top has been remarkable, and names like Darren Weir and Ciaron Maher are likely to follow.

Waller's success is based on sheer numbers and consistency. However his ability to convert better stock into group 1 wins cannot be underestimated.

He won the Emirates Stakes with Albert The Fat in 2011, and would train four group 1 winners for that season. His stable has continued to grow since and he has nine group 1 winners for this term at the end of the carnival.

Significantly, three of those wins come from three-year-olds and a further five from four-year-olds, after Delectation won the Darley Classic on the final day. It shows the regeneration of his stable, all bought since Albert The Fat.

Waller started with imported stayers but is now getting the pick of yearlings and his strike-rate is consistent. His bloodstock arm has been able to find the right horses in stars like Winx and Press Statement, and Waller has made them into success stories on the track.

It is what great trainers do.

This is the challenge for Weir and Maher who are the same point as Waller was four years ago. They are training their share of winners on the group 1 stage but it is whether they can take the next step and develop the top end of their teams.

Weir has won Victorian and Melbourne metropolitan premierships. He has the numbers and is a horseman who now has the Melbourne Cup on the shelf after Prince Of Penzance's success. He doesn't waste his group 1 runners and only turns up when they are ready to fire.

Maher's first group 1 win came in 2007 from Tears I Cry in the Emirates Stakes and his development continues with Jameka giving him a second consecutive VRC Oaks win on Thursday. The curly mop of hair makes him stand out and his results do the same.

Then there is Godolphin and John O'Shea, who continue to provide their share of winners and good horses and are focused on the top level racing along with the traditional names.

Tommy Smith's daughter Gai Waterhouse, David Hayes, James and Anthony Cummings are still there, as are Freedman, Hawkes and Moody but they no longer have to be the lead acts.

It is good for racing and an exciting time for the sport.

Breaking the glass ceiling

The odds weren't right about Michelle Payne's win in the Melbourne Cup at 100-1. They should have had a couple more zeros on the end of it.

Prince Of Penzance and Payne are now part of Australian folklore but there are a couple of points to come from Tuesday.

Payne's ride  was perfect, the best ride in the race and probably the best seen in a Melbourne Cup in the past decade.

It is significant for female jockeys and will help them get more opportunities.

Payne knows the tough nature of the sport, which is based on winning and perception. She has made her point about her lack of chances well since the Cup but that is the reality of the sport.

There are more female riders than at any time, and they will get their chances in coming years but the Melbourne Cup of 2015 will be the reference point for any further success.