The Gai Waterhouse factor is a major player on Victoria Derby day at Flemington. Considered by many to be the best day on the Australasian racing calendar Saturday’s edition is certainly an intriguing nine race card.
It covers all ends of the thoroughbred spectrum and betting houses have Waterhouse’s last start group 1 winning slayer Hampton Court as favourite in the Derby.
The Derby is one of four group 1 races for the day while Waterhouse lines up a trio of mares in the Myer Classic where Sweet Idea is challenging for favouritism while stablemates Diamond Drille and Forever Loved are players.
Waterhouse has nine gallopers set to start in six of the nine races. Tough three-year-old Wandjina, which is starting for the sixth time in seven weeks and backing up after last Saturday’s Cox Plate, opens the on-slaught in the first event.
Hampton Court, which is owned by radio King Alan Jones and long time racing benefactor John Muir, hasn’t been seen in Melbourne but it will not matter.
Waterhouse has set the son of super sire Redoute’s Choice for the Derby having rounded out the preparation when mowing down the talk horses First Seal and Sweynesse to win the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick three weeks ago.
Waterhouse won the Spring Champion Stakes back in 1995 via Nothin’s Leica Dane which went on to defeat the mighty Octagonal in the Victoria Derby.
The danger to Hampton Court may well be the Mick Price-trained Moonovermanhattan which emerged as a leading contender when winning last Saturday’s Vase at Moonee Valley.
Moonovermanhatten beat the maiden Atmosphere whose trainer Trent Busuttin should be considered a player when it comes to this Classic.
The New Zelander’s galloper Sangster won the first staying three-year-old major of the year in 2011. Busuttin has had one goal in mind for the son of the Cox Plate winner Savabeel.
Talk about focus, Busuttin arrived in Australia back in August and Atmosphere was on the plane. One ambition and the Victoria Derby was it.
Rounding out the meticulous planning is the addition of that jockey Joao Moreira. A record breaking Brazilian, who conquered Singapore and is keen on doing the same in Hong Kong, should give Atmosphere every chance from the four barrier.
As for the bus-driving Bluff; “Bondeiger, will win the Derby, Hampton Court has beat nothing”. Now Moreira is in town for the ride on He’s Your Man in the Mackinnon Stakes.
The trainer who has a disregard for records, one Chris Waller, is obviously a fan of the Brazilian. Like Atmosphere, He’s Your Man has been set for one race and this is it.
The Cape Cross six-year-old goes in as a last start winner of the Group 1 Epsom at Randwick. Waller will also start group 1 winners Foreteller, Hawkspur and Moriarty.
Beware of the European raider Farraaj in the Mackinnon which was once considered to be a Melbourne Cup prep race but not anymore.
That honour belongs to the Lexus Stakes where 12 of the 13 runners can earn a start in Tuesday’s “nation stopper” by winning. What a lottery but then again the northern hemisphere raider Lord Van Percy closed late when debuting down-under at Caulfield a fortnight ago.
Pity Waterhouse doesn’t have a runner in the group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes. Would have made this conundrum even more puzzling.
Might be a big start to the glamous day for the radio King for he has a slice in Scissor Kick. What about, Rubick, fairytale story Rich Enuff, the unbeaten Kuro? What about Waterhouse.
HOW TO MAKE MONEY?
COOLMORE STUD STAKES
SCISSOR KICK 1, Rich Enuff 2, Rubick 3, Earthquake 4.
MACKINNON STAKES
HAWKSPUR 1,Farraaj 2, He’s Your Man 3, Criterion 4.
VICTORIA DERBY
HAMPTON COURT 1, Bondeiger 2, Atmosphere 3, Moonovermanhatten 4.
MYER CLASSIC
SWEET IDEA 1, Catkins 2, Diamond Drille 3, Politeness 4.
BEST BET OF THE DAY
Race 2
No 1, Fontein Ruby
By Craig Young
