Queen of the turf Gai Waterhouse proved herself a visionary with her fourth triumph in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper, the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.
“Gai said six months ago this horse was going to win the Golden Slipper,” winning jockey Nash Rawiller said after piloting the Waterhouse-trained Pierro to victory on Australian racing’s richest day at Rosehill.
“I shook my head and walked away. She’s a genius.”
Waterhouse, whose father Tommy Smith holds the Slipper trainer’s record with six wins, may have won the classic three times before but admitted later: “My heart’s got the flutters. It’s been a dream.”
Waterhouse, whose five Slipper runners constituted almost one-third of the field, won two of the five Group One races on Saturday’s $7.5 million program.
Hot favourite More Joyous, ridden by Nash Rawiller, earlier won her second successive Queen Of The Turf Stakes, a race which could well have been named after racing’s first lady.
The Black Caviar partnership of trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen got Manighar over the line to defeat former Melbourne Cup winner Americain in the 2400m BMW and provide a thrill for part-owner Simon O’Donnell, the TV personality and former cricketer.
Danny Nikolic was fined $500 after piloting Mosheen to an all-the-way win in the 2000m Vinery Stud Stakes, admitting later he had “played with fire” in easing the hot favourite down as the winning post loomed.
The Chris Waller-trained Metal Bender lunged home in a tight finish to win the final Group One, the 1500m George Ryder Stakes.
