GOLDEN GAI TIME
Waterhouse on verge of a record day out
GAI Waterhouse can break one of her legendary father Tommy Smith’s most celebrated training records and equal another on day one of The Championships at Randwick today.
Waterhouse is aiming for an unprecedented eighth win in the $3 million Doncaster Mile with either Pornichet, Cosmic Endeavour or Diamond Drille.
Smith and Waterhouse share the race training record.
But Smith is still the only trainer to win the Derby-Doncaster double, achieving the feat in 1980 with champion Kingston Town and Iko.
Waterhouse has Hampton Court lining up in the $2 million Australian Derby (2400m), the only major Sydney race to elude her.
“The competition is very tough but the prizemoney is fabulous and these are the race meetings we work hard all year to prepare for,” Waterhouse said.
“I guess it wouldn’t be Easter without a bit of rain and we know it will be a wet track but I think we have good chances all day.”
Waterhouse said she found it hard to split her three runners in the Doncaster.
“You can make a strong case for all three as each horse has wonderful form and they are all well weighted,” she said.
“Cosmic Endeavour and Diamond Drille are Group 1 winners and Pornichet has come right at the right time with a very impressive win last week.”
Hampton Court won the Spring Champion Stakes last spring but has struggled for form since.
“It will be interesting to see if Hampton Court stays the trip,” the trainer said.
Waterhouse also has Sweet Idea in the $2.5 million T.J. Smith Stakes and English contests the $1 million ATC Sires Produce Stakes.
ATC track manager Lindsay Murphy said the Randwick track rating was a soft 6 late yesterday.
“We haven’t had much rain during the day,” Murphy said.
“The concern is what happens overnight and then during the meeting because the forecast isn’t encouraging.”
Trainer Chris Waller said Moriarty could be scratched from the Doncaster Mile if the track was downgraded to heavy.