There will be more at stake than simply winning another off-season metropolitan race for syndication filly Scarlet Rain at Randwick.
Stable spokesman Mark Newnham said if the Tulloch Lodge youngster could maintain an unbeaten record in the TAB More Than Just Winning Plate on Saturday, the result would almost certainly guarantee her a start in the Golden Slipper.
“She’s already won a city race and if she can win another one, her prize money would just about get her in the Golden Slipper,” Newnham said.
Scarlet Rain represents Darby Racing and she is the first horse Gai Waterhouse has trained for the syndicate firm.
But she might not be the only two-year-old to carry the Darby Racing colours if she makes it to the Golden Slipper.
Yankee Rose won two early-season races for the syndicate and her trainer David Vandyke is planning to run the filly first-up in the world’s richest two-year-old race.
Newnham says Scarlet Rain, an all-the-way winner at Rosehill on January 2, rates favourably among the stable’s better two-year-olds.
“She measures up. She’s a pretty good filly, a real natural,” he said.
Scarlet Rain’s opposition will include Prized Icon, a placegetter behind subsequent Magic Millions winner Capitalist in the Breeders’ Plate, who resumes after a spell.
Prized Icon wore blinkers in the Breeders’ Plate and has trialled without them but trainer James Cummings says they will go back on for race day.
“The horse really looks like he has come to hand … he looks spot-on ready to go first-up,” he said.
Waterhouse will have a light Randwick representation but there will be interest in an exhibition gallop between two of her stable’s better-known runners.
Last year’s Golden Slipper runner-up English and Raphael’s Cat will be given a piece of work as they head towards barrier trial hit-outs next week.
Godolphin galloper Medcaut has opened favourite to win the Listed Carrington Stakes ahead of the Chris Waller-trained You’ll Never who resumes from a spell.
