The Inglis Nursery has been a race of frustration for Gai Waterhouse, but that won’t stop the stable having a crack at the $500,000 event again this year.
Waterhouse will unveil Shalaa debutant The Little Pumper in the 1000-metre scamper for Inglis graduates on Saturday’s Randwick program.
The Hall of Fame trainer is yet to win the race but has logged second placings with De Shamekh (2011), Kimberley Star (2014) and So Serene 2014 before entering into partnership with Adrian Bott, with whom she trains last year’s third placegetter Athletica.
The Little Pumper has a tough nut to crack in highly-spruiked Trapeze Artist filly Facile, but Bott said the $120,000 Classic Yearling Sale purchase has shown enough to suggest he will be competitive.
“He’s been pretty straight-forward and pretty natural in everything we’ve seen in his two trials,” Bott said.
“His last one was great, it was a very professional performance, he was good through the line and he looks in good shape going into the race, which looks a nice target for him.”
The Little Pumper’s first trial was a 740m third placing at Randwick, when beaten three-quarters-of-a-length by Nursery rival Line Of Law, before a slick win over 801m at Warwick Farm on November 18.
The Inglis Nursery has proven a fantastic producer with past winners including Golden Slipper victors Mossfun and She Will Reign, Blue Diamond hero Extreme Choice and Moir Stakes winner Wild Ruler, and Bott is not surprised it is a good launching pad.
“It’s on the right time of the year for these sort of horses and the attraction of the prizemoney there gives you incentive to have them ready for it,” Bott said.
The Little Pumper will be ridden by Tim Clark and is into barrier six following the early scratchings of Worx and Cathay Bracelet, which has reduced the field to 11 runners.
