Classic raw stayer

Waterhouse stable happy with Our Desert Warrior

RACING’S first lady Gai Waterhouse has her eyes set on the Geelong Classic with Victoria Derby hopeful Our Desert Warrior.

The raw but talented stayer was an impressive winner on debut in New South Wales, before failing as a shortpriced favourite at Warwick Farm over 1600m.

Waterhouse’s stable jockey Nash Rawiller reported the three-year-old had a breathing issue after the run and as a result Our Desert Warrior went from $11 out to $26 in Victoria Derby betting. He is now a $35 shot.

Stable racing manager Bruce Slade said Our Desert Warrior had settled into Melbourne well and was looking good ahead of his Classic test.

‘‘He worked at Moonee Valley with stablemate Fat Al who is getting ready for the Crystal Mile. They worked very stylishly,’’ Slade said.

‘‘We were very happy with them. He is just learning the game, he is still very green.

‘‘Mentally and professionally he is still learning.

‘‘He will love the (2200m Geelong Classic) distance. He will thrive.

‘‘What he did first up was fantastic and last start he was just green as grass. They were attacking him from all corners and he still hung on for fourth.

‘‘Geelong is a nice roomy track, he will just lap it up and enjoy every single metre.’’

The son of Desert King is well bred and is a brother of Desert War and a half-brother to Laser Hawk.

‘‘Gai has trained a lot of the family, she knows them very well. He was just a supreme yearling, he was a cracking animal and we had to have him at the sales,’’ Slade said.

‘‘He went for $260,000. We liked him as a type and he ticked all the boxes for us.

‘‘It was a pretty strong figure for a Desert King, it was probably double the average price of a typical Desert King horse.’’

Slade said Our Desert Warrior would complete another solid gallop tomorrow ahead of Wednesday’s race.

Nominations for the $120,000 Listed race were released yesterday, with a strong field expected come race day.

Trainers nominated 30 horses for the race, with Cranbourne- based trainer Mick Kent nominating four horses.

The Geelong Classic as well as tomorrow’s Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield are the two traditional lead ups to the Derby.

Last year’s winner Induna went on to run an unlucky second in the Group 1 race which is held during Flemington’s Spring Racing Carnival.