'Can't fault our runners': Gai's hopes for bid to win eighth Slipper

By Tim Auld, Ray Hickson
March 21 2024 - 2:00pm

Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse has loaded all the bases as she tries to win an eighth Golden Slipper Stakes in 23 years at Rosehill on Saturday.

The $5 million race over 1200 metres is the richest juvenile race in the world.

Waterhouse won the classic six times in her own right before joining up with her training partner Adrian Bott to take out the race with Farnan in 2020.

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They saddle up favourite Storm Boy, Fully Lit, Shangri Express, Straight Charge, Prost, Lady Of Camelot while Espionage is the emergency.

International jockey Ryan Moore has been booked for his first ride on Storm Boy in the Golden Slipper.

Australia's First Lady of Racing told ACM Racing all the runners are going into the race in peak condition.

"I can't fault any of our runners," Waterhouse said. "It's a big thrill to have so many runners in one of the big feature races on the Australian racing calendar.

"Storm Boy looks the one to beat. He hasn't done a thing wrong in his four runs. His form is exceptional leading into a Golden Slipper. I'm extremely pleased with him.

"He's drawn barrier two which is an advantage. Our other runners in the Golden Slipper are all going well. Luck plays a big part in racing and I'm hoping our runners have that luck. We've got a good team of horses running at Rosehill on Saturday."

Storm Boy is rated a $2.20 chance in the early betting markets for the Golden Slipper. Second favourite for the Slipper is the Chris Waller trained Switzerland who will be ridden by top jockey James McDonald.

Four other Group 1 races, namely the $1 million Ranvet Stakes, the $750,000 Rosehill Guineas, the $1 million George Ryder Stakes and the $1 million Galaxy are on Saturday's big ten race program at Rosehill.

Gai Waterhouse, inset, says Storm Boy is the one to beat. Main picture by Getty Images
Gai Waterhouse, inset, says Storm Boy is the one to beat. Main picture by Getty Images

Calvin McEvoy - who co-trains with his father Tony - have dual representation in the Slipper with Pago Pago Stakes winner Dublin Down backing up and Rue De Royale returning to Sydney after a luckless second at Flemington two weeks ago.

Dublin Down led all the way last week and McEvoy said while he's an outsider in the market he's earned his chance at the two-year-old classic.

"He's really bounced through it, we're very pleased with him. He hasn't left an oat since the race on Saturday,'' he said.

"Owners chase the dream to have a runner, they've got a colt that's qualified and in great form.

"Some horses really do handle a tough back up, some horses don't. I think he will but we won't know until we get there on the day.

"He's earned his chance, a few of the horses behind him last week were quite fancied. There's no doubt he needs to improve but he's on an upward trajectory."

Rue De Royale is still a maiden after five starts but he's run three seconds including at Rosehill back in November when he chased home Shangri La Express in the Golden Gift.

He added a second in the Inglis Millennium in February and chased home Traffic Warden in the VRC Sires' where he didn't see clear air until the race was over.

"He's a really nice horse. He was unlucky the other day in the Sires' at Flemington, it's hard to know whether we would have beaten him but our horse only got out in the final furlong,'' he said.

"I think he's certainly being overlooked."

Meanwhile, it's taken some time for Think It Over to earn the respect he deserves and trainer Kerry Parker is happy to suggest he's taking the horse to beat into the Group 1 $1m Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.

Five years ago, he won a Class 2 at Hawkesbury, and three years ago he won the George Ryder as a $26 chance. Of course, he also won the Queen Elizabeth two years ago at $41 prior to his 18-month absence through injury.

But Parker's marvel has shown this season as he's arguably a greater force, and the Kembla Grange trainer is bullish on the back of beating Fangirl in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) three weeks ago.

"They think he's a giant killer, I just think he's a giant,'' Parker said.

"He's as good as them every day of the week.

"It's all about keeping him in a good frame of mind, once you get the fitness up it's about letting him be in a good place mentally and the rest is up to him.

"They'll want to be on their game but so does he, he's got to turn up and do it again."

Think It Over headed the Ranvet market at $3 with TAB on Wednesday despite the presence of a potential international 'giant' in Via Sistina.

Parker said the eight-year-old has continued to improve with his two runs back and slightly changed his routing to include an exhibition gallop between races at Kembla Grange last Friday under race jockey Nash Rawiller.

"I let him tell me how hard I've got to work him,'' he said.