Both Chris Waller and Gai Waterhouse have each won the Tristarc Stakes in recent years with champion mares and in this year’s renewal of the race, the Sydney trainers will go head to head as Catkins and Sweet Idea fight for favouritism.
Waller won last year’s race with Red Tracer and will be hoping Catkins ($2.80f) can make it back-to-back victories for him whilst Waterhouse, who won the 2011 edition with More Joyous, will be pinning her hopes on her tough mare Sweet Idea, as have the punter who jumped in at her opening price of $3.80, reducing it to $3.20 within hours of markets opening. The pair dominates the market with only Girl Guide and May’s Dream, $8 and $8.50 respectively, given any chance of causing an upset.
Special Offer: $501 BONUS BET – Sportsbet
Special Offer 2: $500 BONUS BET – Ladbrokes
Special Offer 3: $500 BONUS BET – Luxbet
1. DIAMOND DRILLE – S Arnold (2)
Given a further seven weeks off after struggling on the heavy track in the G3 Toy Show Quality first up where she ran eighth and twelve lengths from winner My Sabeel. Really started to hit her straps at the end of last prep winning the G3 Aspiration Quality (1600m) before two starts later, causing a boil-over and winning the G1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m), defeating the likes of Gypsy Diamond and Red Tracer. Will get back from her inside draw and might need this outing as she prepares for something longer over the carnival.
Odds: $21.00
2. MAY’S DREAM – B Rawiller (3)
Ran well first up under 59kgs in the G3 Sportingbet (1200m) and hit the line as well as connections would’ve hoped for before running third (1.5 lengths) to Forever Loved in the G2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) last start. Just had to ease off heels at a crucial stage last run to get clear room and closed well when she did. Placed both of her previous second up runs, both over longer journeys, and a little surprised to see her stick to the seven furlongs but she’s drawn well and is never far away, only finishing outside of the top four twice in her thirteen start career.
Odds: $9.00
3. SWEET IDEA – T Berry (6)
Ultra-consistent mare who looks very well placed here under the set weight conditions given her previous runs this prep. She won the Missile Stakes first up, beat all bar Dissident home in the G1 WFA Memsie Stakes before running fourth in the G1 Rupert Clark Stakes won by Trust In A Gust, who subsequently won another G1 last week – the Toorak. Back to her own sex , drawn to take up a prominent position and well prove very hard to run down.
Odds: $3.20
4. CATKINS – J Bowman (8)
Won has she pleased first up in the G3 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) after sitting in the box seat and extending well inside the furlong to record a 2.5 length margin over My Sabeel and Neena Rock. Off of that effort she was the 2/1 on for the G3 Golden Pendant (1400m) but despite again finding the perfect spot in the run, she didn’t ping like she did at her previous start and was defeated by Arabian Gold, who enjoyed a good run on the fence, by half a length. It took a good mare with a sweet run to beat her last start and sure to be right in the mix here, even from what maps as an awkward gate.
Odds: $2.80
5. ENQUARE – C Newitt (9)
Enjoyed a lovely run from the inside gate and stuck on well first up in the G3 Sportingbet (1200m) to run sixth (1.7 lengths) behind Girl Guide and A Time For Julia, before another good run in transit saw the Stratum mare finish second (1.5 lengths) to Forever Loved in the G2 Blazer Stakes (1400m). Minus her two runs over the Brisbane carnival, and the Jason McLachlan trained galloper boasts a very solid record which includes a third to Sweet Idea and Estonian Princess in the Magic Million Guineas. Going well but will need a bit of luck from the wide gate.
Odds: $17.00
6. GIRL GUIDE – D Dunn (5)
Won her sixth race from only her eighth start with a tenacious effort in the G3 Sportingbet (1200m) and backed that up with a good effort, finishing second to Griante in last week’s G3 Series Final (1400m). Settled in the one/one last start and was only caught in the final stages by the winner. She’ll take up the perfect position again here from a good draw. Can’t be left out of selections.
Odds: $9.00
7. POLITENESS – C Williams (4)
Finished hard first up in the G3 Sportingbet (1200m) to run fourth, only a long neck, behind Girl Guide and A Time For Julia before flashing home late again when fourth (1.5 lengths) to Forever Loved in the G2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) at Flemington. Had to spend the first half of the straight last start easing out to find the room required for to wind-up and from gate four, that may be the case again. Going very well but will need a trouble free run from there to be able to finish over the top of some smart mares.
Odds: $6.00
8. GIRL IN FLIGHT – K McEvoy (7)
Drew the widest gate in a field of fifteen when resuming from a twenty-three week spell in the G2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) and was posted deep for the duration of the race. No surprise to see her feel the pinch inside of the 100m but given her run and that she was first up over 1400m, her effort to hold on to ninth (3.4 lengths) probably is better than it reads. Can only be fitter for that and if McEvoy can slot her in midfield from seven, she may run a race better than her current odds of $17.00 would suggest.
Odds: $17.00
9. MINNIE DOWNS – R Bayliss (10)
As is the case in this race, the 6yo mare hasn’t fared well in terms of the barrier draw in either of her two runs back from a spell. She settled wellback in a BM 90 (1400m) and G2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) and ran fourteen (5.4 lengths) and tenth (4.4 lengths) respectively. Will be giving a similarly smart field a smart again and on recent efforts, hard to see her running them down.
Odds: $67.00
10. CHIQUADA – (1)
Returned from an eight month spell in a BM 90 (1100m) and took advantage of her light-weight and inside draw to finish second to Vain Attraction. The Fast’n’Famous 6yo mare than lined up in the G3 Series Final (1200m) last week but from a wider gate, had no luck finding a spot after pushing forward and was caught deep on the pace. She weakened from there to run second to last (5.4 lengths) behind Griante and although she’s draw the rails here, that won’t be enough to see her worry this field.
Odds: $101.00
RACE OVERVIEW
Sweet Idea will go forward with Catkins, drawn two gates wider, following her across. This has the making of a great match-race as the two quality mares will in all likelihood lead the field into the straight and have proven many times over, just how hard they are to run down. May’s Dream and Girl Guide are going well, should get nice runs just off the pace and if the leader’s, by some odd chance, do display a chink in their armour they’ll be perfectly poised to exploit it. Thought for some value Girl In Flight might be the improver. Torrid run first up, fitter and showed enough last prep to be worthy of a chance in a race like this.
- SWEET IDEA
- CATKINS
- MAY’S DREAM
- GIRL GUIDE
