The Playwright could follow Lady Of Camelot path to Blue Diamond after Widden Stakes win at Rosehill
The Blue Diamond is on the radar for The Playwright after she gave Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott back-to-back Widden Stakes wins.
Horse Racing
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The Playwright could follow the two-year-old big-race trail blazed so successfully by Lady Of Camelot after her tough win at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Adrian Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, hinted The Playwright might go for the Blue Diamond next after she led throughout to win the Group 3 $250,000 Widden Stakes (1100m).
“We won this race last year with Lady Of Camelot and she pushed on to the Blue Diamond (finishing second to Hayasugi),’’ Bott said.
“Lady Of Camelot then came back home to win the Golden Slipper.
“The Playwright is among the nominations for the Blue Diamond and we will have a look at whether we go there or keep her in Sydney.
“Everything will be determined by how she pulls up. This was certainly one of the races we wanted.
“She’s got some black type now for her residual value, so if this happens to be the last run of her campaign, she’s done a great job. But the way she is, the constitution that she’s got, I do feel she could keep going.’’
The Playwright controls the Widden Stakes and clings to victory! @Reganbayliss@GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/lqFrIyHz7u
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 1, 2025
The Playwright ($4) held off the fast-finishing efforts of Godolphin filly Tempted ($3.40 favourite) and Snitzel Miss ($3.70) with only a long head and a short half head separating the three fillies on the line.
Regan Bayliss, rider of The Playwright, described the filly as “one out of the box”.
“She feels small everywhere until you jump out of the barriers on her,’’ Bayliss said.
“She’s got so much heart, she’s rarely out of the money, and she’s just gutsy.
“Her race experience is gold, she was able to drop them at the top of the straight, and when they challenged, she was able to pin her ears back and have a crack right through the line.”
The Playwright firmed from $51 into $34 for the $5m Golden Slipper.
If she can the world’s richest two-year-old race at Rosehill, then she joins Lady Of Camelot, Mossfun (2014) and Overreach (2013) as winners of the Widden Stakes-Golden Slipper double.
The Playwright gave Waterhouse her eighth win in the Widden Stakes after Lady Of Camelot, Overreach, Driefontein (2012), Horizons (2009), Pasikatera (2005), Secret Land (2002) and Miss Bussell (2000).
Tempted was the unlucky runner.
She was ridden conservatively out of the barriers and was three lengths behind the second last horse early before taking the shortcut home along the rails before she narrowly missed reeling in The Playwright.
“She ran terrific, obviously the gate was against her, but it was a great effort,’’ said Tim Clark, rider of Tempted, who firmed from $26 to $11 for the Golden Slipper.
Snitzel Miss was back with Tempted on the turn before she ran on powerfully under James McDonald for an excellent debut third.
Originally published as The Playwright could follow Lady Of Camelot path to Blue Diamond after Widden Stakes win at Rosehill
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