Gai backing spring form to stand up in hunt for ninth Golden Slipper
By Craig Kerry
Gai Waterhouse is confident her tried and tested Golden Slipper formula has North England and Bellazaine well placed to deliver her a ninth win in the premier race for two-year-olds on Saturday at Rosehill.
Waterhouse and co-trainer Adrian Bott have three runners in the $5 million showpiece and all were each-way odds on Friday. North England ($19 Sportsbet) and Bellazaine ($26) were the best supported, while Farcited was $51 after drawing gate 15 of 16 and scraping into the field.
Tim Clark riding North England to victory in the Golden Gift.Credit: Getty Images
North England was prominent in early markets after finishing a close third in the Breeders Plate then winning the Golden Gift in the spring, but he has drifted after missing a start in the Silver Slipper because of poor blood work then fading to finish fifth in the Todman Stakes.
A son of Waterhouse and Bott’s 2020 Slipper winner Farnan, North England was narrowly beaten by stablemates King Kirk and Tempestuous in the Breeders Plate. King Kirk later drowned in a pool accident, while Tempestuous is spelling.
“Pierro won the Breeders Plate then comes out and wins the Slipper. Vancouver the same,” Waterhouse said of two of her past winners. Those spring races just hold the key to the Slipper.”
The same could be said of filly Bellazaine. She was three lengths off winner Bel Merci in October’s Gimcrack despite a torrid four-wide run without cover. Bel Merci, subsequent Magic Millions Classic winner O’Ole and Memo finished top three, but none have progressed to the Slipper.
Bellazaine, second from left, when a close second in the Sweet Embrace Stakes.Credit: Getty Images
“The form out of that Gimcrack Stakes just runs through,” Waterhouse said. “You only have to look to last season. Lady Of Camelot only ran fourth in that, then she comes out and wins the Slipper.”
That was Waterhouse’s eighth win and second with Bott. Her father, the great TJ Smith, won the race six times.
“When you are dominant in a race like that, a bit like Bart [Cummings] was with the [Melbourne] Cup and [owner] Lloyd Williams is now, we have an affinity with the Slipper and seem to understand the way the horses need to be timed to win the race,” she said.
“There are two lovely colts by Farnan, who’s a sensational young sire, then Bellazaine is talented and will probably be very hard to beat. Her form has been exemplary going into the Slipper, so it’s a nice position to be in.”
Meanwhile, West Of Swindon was in doubt for the Slipper after failing a Racing NSW veterinary check on Friday.
The Hawkes-trained colt missed the Pago Pago Stakes last week with a foot problem after shifting a plate. He was found to be mildly lame in the near off foot on Friday and will be checked again in the morning.
Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said on Wednesday that West Of Swindon’s work on Tuesday was outstanding.
All other runners were passed fit. If West Of Swindon is scratched, Alabama Magic, for Scone trainer Brett Cavanough and apprentice Braith Nock, will get a start.