Cover image courtesy of Victoria Racing Club
Gerringong to live up to early promise in Waterhouse Classic
Gai Waterhouse bids to win the race named in her honour for the second time on Saturday, six years after her first success with Ready To Prophet (Smart Missile) in 2019. This time, she comes armed with promising and lightly raced filly Gerringong (Blue Point {Ire}), who was retained to race by breeder John Singleton.
The veteran of just five starts, the 3-year-old filly won her first two starts towards the end of spring, both at Canterbury, and earned herself entry to the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight in January, where she ran seventh by four and a half lengths to topline horses Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon).
That performance, plus two seconds at Listed level this preparation where she came within half a length of victory on both occasions, has co-trainer Adrian Bott confident that she’s ready to step up in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich.
Gerringong | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“The first and second horses in that race were two proper Group 1 horses, and she wasn't too far off them, having a luckless run,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said on Friday. “She was only having her third race start and also probably coming to the back end of her preparation. She did a remarkable job in that one campaign and she has shown improvement this time in.
“She is quite a delicate sort of horse, but she has got plenty of natural talent. As she keeps getting deeper into her career and matures and becomes seasoned, hopefully we can see a nice progressive filly.
“She (Gerrington) is quite a delicate sort of horse, but she has got plenty of natural talent. Hopefully we can see a nice progressive filly.” - Adrian Bott
“She was showing promise in her early days, so Singo was more than happy to hold onto her and some of the other partners he put into the horse were keen to race her as well.”
The filly will be due for a freshen up after Saturday, with Bott hoping she can mature into a major player in the spring carnival. Regan Bayliss takes the reins, with regular jockey Tim Clark - who had a fruitful trip to Eagle Farm last week where he took out the G1 Stradbroke Handicap with War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel {Ire}) - remaining in Sydney.
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing
First season sires jostling for late season winners
While Ole Kirk almost certainly has the Champion First Season Sire title in the bag, there’s still a few weeks left for other young stallions to tally up more winners from their first crops of juveniles. Eleven first season sires will have runners across five tracks on Saturday, with Time To Reign, Hanseatic, and Dirty Work all represented at the Gold Coast. Time To Reign’s son Reign Of Ivanhoe will be debuting for owner-trainer Louise White, alongside fellow first timer Seaticus (Hanseatic).
Dirty Work also has one runner at Pinjarra in the 1400-metre opener, and Hanseatic’s Codename will debut at Kembla Grange alongside two offspring of Anders, as well as Commanding Belle (Farnan), whose dam is a half-sister to 14-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands).
Peltzer | Standing at Twin Hills Stud
The juvenile race at Flemington features progeny of five first season sires before scratchings; Peltzer will be represented by two sons, including last start winner Buccleuch, who is trained by Patrick and Michelle Payne. James Cummings will start another last start winner in Observer (Ghaiyyath {Ire}).
Over in Riccarton, the filly who provided Cool Aza Beel (NZ) with his first winner in October, Te Akau Racing’s Cool Aza Rene will bid to nab a fourth win in five starts for the operation. Her only poor run to date came when she pulled up shin sore in the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes, and she far outclasses the rest of Saturday’s field as she continues to build her record. This race has been the aim since her victory on resumption earlier this month.
“We really do like the progeny of Cool Aza Beel, especially as they look as though they’ll keep developing into much better 3-year-olds,” co-trainer Mark Walker said after her third victory.
Cool Aza Rene | Image courtesy of Race Images
We’ve got a great relationship with the Kelly family at Newhaven Park Stud, where both Cool Aza Beel and Xtravagant stand at stud,” Te Akau maestro David Ellis said. “(It’s) on a 15,000-acre property in south west New South Wales, just magnificent and beautifully farmed, and they’ve bred some great horses there.”
Bjorn’s big hand at Randwick
It’s going to be all hands on deck for the Bjorn Baker team on Saturday with acceptances (before scratchings) for eight of the 10-race card, including the ever consistent Iknowastar (Star Witness), who bids for win number 11 and a first win at stakes level in the Listed Civic Stakes in the penultimate event.
The improving 3-year-old Raikkonen (Shalaa {Ire}) is a hopeful emergency for the Civic; he boasts three wins from six starts, all at metropolitan level, and was beaten just a length when fourth in the G3 Fred Best Stakes last start. He could be set for the $10 million Golden Eagle if he keeps hitting the mark this winter.
Raikkonen | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“I do think he’s (Raikkonen) top class and I’m normally loathe to pick up benchmark points in a big hurry,’’ Baker told Racing NSW earlier in the week. “But with Raikkonen, he’s an extremely promising horse and from a much better gate in the Civic Stakes, if he happened to get in, we would definitely have a look at it.
“If we did get into the Civic and happened to win that, he’d go up significantly and he wouldn’t be far off getting into the Golden Eagle. It’s a huge ask, but he’s promising and if we knew he was going to get into (the Eagle) or go close, we’d definitely target it. Either way I think there are some good races for him.”
If he fails to sneak into the Civic field, Raikkonen will jump in the preceding event, where four-time winner Bat Out Of Hell (Hellbent) is currently hopeful for a run as first emergency.
Miss Kim Kar (Pierata), also a winner of four from her first nine starts, kicks off in the same event as Extreme Choice gelding Stallone, who makes the leap into Saturday class and benefits from in demand jockey Ashley Morgan staying in the saddle.
Miss Kim Kar | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“The race shape probably played against her (Miss Kim Kar) last time, they went very slow and it turned into a sprint home,” Baker said. “She gets 3kg off (on Saturday) and no doubt it’s a race with a fair bit of depth, but after that slowly run race last time, she’s better off sticking at the mile. She goes in a very good chance.”
Also retaining Morgan is Hollywood Hero (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), who beat Civic starter Cool Jakey (Pierro) two runs back at this level, and 3-year-old filly Magical Moments (Winning Rupert), who steps up to metropolitan level alongside fellow 3-year-old Broadway Follies (Smart Missile).
Rounding out Baker’s crew is Battleton (Zoustar) in the final event; the four-time winner is one of three runners for Baker on Saturday with close to or over half a million in prize money.
Bjorn Baker | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“The better the track, the better his chance,” Baker said. “It’s a tough race, but he’s going better than the market would suggest.”
Baker currently sits second in the metropolitan trainers’ premiership behind Chris Waller, with at least 20 city wins clear of third placegetters Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Millie De Lune bidding for stakes start with Randwick repeat
Matthew Smith will consider heading north for the G3 Winx Guineas in a fortnight’s time if his exciting 3-year-old Millie De Lune (Puissance De Lune {Ire}) can make it back to back victories at Randwick on Saturday, where she starts in the 1800-metre BM78 handicap that is fourth on the card. The filly has won twice this preparation, kicking things off with a Newcastle Super Maiden before taking the leap to Saturday company last start, where she demolished the field by a length and a quarter.
“She is going really good and has progressed nicely since that last run,” Smith told media earlier in the week. “We have tried her a couple of times on better ground and she doesn't like it much. She might be a bit better in time, but I thought she would make a reasonably nice staying filly and have always thought that. She has taken time to come around.”
Millie De Lune | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Ashley Morgan, who has a full book of rides this Saturday, was on board two weeks ago for her metropolitan victory and retains the ride.
“She was really strong late the other day, so if we get (a good) tempo, she will be fine with the drop back in trip,” Smith said, who also queried drawing barrier 12 as the filly drops back from 2000 metres for Saturday’s run. “It's always a concern coming back in trip.”
The Winx Guineas will be a drop back in distance again to the mile, should Millie De Lune earn the trip north.
Matthew Smith | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Smith and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $30,000 for the daughter of Street Sense (USA) mare Millsee, a half-sister to Listed Tattersall’s Mile winner Hour Of Peril (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}).
Strickland round two for Western Empire
Grant and Alana Williams’ warhorse Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) leads the betting for the second year in a row for the G3 Strickland Stakes at Pinjarra Park on Saturday. The 7-year-old gelding added win number 11 last start with victory in the G3 Hyperion Stakes, but the G3 Strickland Stakes has evaded his capture so far.
Last year, he was a narrow second by a long neck to Let’s Galahvant (Galah) in the 2000-metre contest - he dodges a second clash with the 6-year-old son of Galah this year, as the latter hasn’t raced since the G2 Perth Cup in January.
Western Empire (NZ) | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
The winner of over $3 million in prize money has been one of Western Australia’s most versatile gallopers, with wins from 1100 metres to 2400 metres, and battled back from foot issues to win the Hyperion a fortnight ago.
“The best part of the past two weeks is we haven’t had to deal with any issues,” Grant Williams said on TabRadio on Thursday. “As long as that run in the Hyperion Stakes hasn’t knocked him around, which we don’t think it has, then he’ll go good again on Saturday.
“His work yesterday (Wednesday) was better than it was leading into the Hyperion and we’re pretty happy with him at the moment, he’s in pretty good fettle.”
Williams hinted that Western Empire may take a trip east to Melbourne next racing season if the rising 8-year-old continues in good form.
William Pike and Grant Williams | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
William Pike continues his successful association with the gelding, having partnered him to eight of his 11 victories to date, including the heights of the G2 WATC Derby and the G1 Railway Stakes in 2021. Last year’s Derby winner A Lot Of Good Men (A Lot {USA}) has been scratched with a tendon issue, and is likely destined for a future at stud.
