Trainer Kim Waugh is looking forward to the autumn after a frustrating 2011 during which her best horses suffered injuries and setbacks.

Injuries and setbacks within her team made 2011 a frustrating year for trainer Kim Waugh but she is looking to the future with optimism.

"We had a few disasters last year. I'm glad to be in 2012," Waugh said.

"Especially when you've only got a small team and you've got a couple of good ones, when things go wrong with them it wipes you out a bit."

Waugh lost Group One placegetter Kimillsy for the winter and spring carnivals last year after the mare injured the muscles in a shoulder during a routine track gallop.

The lightly-raced Valdhez shaped as though he might fly the stable's flag during the spring carnival in Kimillsy's absence until bad luck struck again.

The four-year-old was being prepared for a trip to Melbourne when he became ill and scoured.

"He was in the vet's for nearly a month and on drips most of that time," Waugh said.

"He was very critical at one stage.

"He lost 70 kilos and he came out of there looking like a bag of bones. You couldn't believe it was the same horse.

"We gave him three months off once he got out of the veterinary hospital. He's put on 80 kilos now.

"He's been back in for a few weeks and he's jumping out of his skin."

Valdhez has only raced four times for two wins and Waugh is hoping he can play a part at the tail end of the autumn carnival.

Kimillsy is also back racing following her shoulder injury and resumed with an encouraging third at Rosehill on Saturday.

Adding further weight to Waugh's team is the recent acquisition of Sheniyan.

By Sadler's Wells, Sheniyan hails from France where he was formerly prepared by Alain de Royer-Dupre who won the 2010 Melbourne Cup with Americain.

He has settled in well at Waugh's Wyong base and is only a month away from his first Australian trial.

"He's going three-quarter pace now and I'm really pleased with him," Waugh said.

"We're trying to bring him along really steady because he came from France and obviously it was winter there and he's come out to our summer.

"He's coping really well. He's really eating well and working around beautifully now."

Waugh hasn't set any concrete plans for Sheniyan but depending on his progress he could make a late autumn appearance or head to Brisbane for a winter carnival tilt.