GAI DISCOVERS JOY OF SIX FOR SLIPPER
Gai Waterhouse doesn’t believe her stable has had such a powerful team of two-yearolds for a Golden Slipper than she has for Saturday’s race at Rosehill Gardens.
This is some statement given the Hall of Fame trainer has won a record seven Golden Slippers, most recently in partnership with Adrian Bott when Farnan led most of the way in 2020.
Waterhouse, who trains in partnership with Bott, has six Slipper starters with favourite Storm Boy, classy colts Fully Lit, Shangri La Express, Straight Charge and Prost and brilliant filly Lady Of Camelot, plus emergency, Espionage.
Racing’s first lady says Saturday’s Slipper squad is superior to her famous 2001 stable trifecta with Ha Ha, Excellerator and Red Hannigan.
“I remember in 2001 we had a lot of success with our twoyear-olds going into the Golden Slipper and there was pressure on us to win the race,’’ she said.
“We had the favourite that year with Royal Courtship and he missed a place so it was more a relief when Ha Ha won the Golden Slipper.
“I don’t have quite the same pressure on me now as Adrian is there and we work wonderfully well together. I feel very proud that our stable has been going so brilliantly this year but it’s a different feeling to 2001.’’
The Waterhouse and Botttrained two-year-olds have cleaned up this season winning the Magic Millions, Inglis Millennium, Golden Gift, Breeders Plate, Widden Stakes, Canonbury Stakes, Silver Slipper and Skyline Stakes.
Bott said the stable’s success with two-year-olds this season had been particularly satisfying but it was the Golden Slipper that he coveted most.
“To an extent, that consistent record through the year can become irrelevant without winning the big one,’’ Bott said.
“This is the race we really want to win, no doubt. I’d like to think these horses are all going to present at their best on the day, and have come through the right paths.’’
Both trainers agree that Storm Boy deserves to be Tulloch Lodge’s No.1 seed given the colt’s dominance in his four-race, unbeaten streak going into the Golden Slipper.
“Storm Boy is very much like Pierro, a big, strong ‘alpha male’, a lovely individual,’’ Waterhouse said.
“I don’t worry about barriers but obviously two should suit Storm Boy, unless the track was like last Saturday when it was very wet on the fence. If that is the case again, his barrier could be a huge disadvantage to be close to the rail. But you can’t do anything about it and Storm Boy does seem to take these things in his stride.’’
Waterhouse nominated stable outsider Prost as the forgotten runner of the stable’s Slipper runners.
“What has Prost done wrong?” Waterhouse said.
“He has run in all the right races and has form around the right horses. He has been very effective in each of his races and I can see him being there fighting out the finish.’’
Waterhouse assessed the stable’s other runners and expects a prominent showing from the underrated Fully Lit.
“It is not impossible to imagine Fully Lit being right there at the finish,’’ she said. “He rolls up his ‘sleeves’ and gives his best.
“Shangri La Express is physically bigger and more solid than Straight Charge but both are very good colts and are ready to ‘rock and roll’.
“Lady Of Camelot ran a very good race in the Blue Diamond, her trial was brilliant.
“Espionage is a lovely colt who we didn’t see to advantage last start. If he gets a start, he will be hard to beat.’’