Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have used the fillies’ maiden at Canterbury’s mid-June meeting with success in the past and on Wednesday they unearthed another youngster seemingly destined for better things.
Demerzel broke her maiden at her second start in the $60,000 event over 1250 metres, the first of three wins for the day for Waterhouse and Bott.
The Tulloch Lodge trainers won the same race three years ago with Tropical Squall, who went on to win the Flight Stakes (1600m) and Surround Stakes (1400m) at Group 1 level as a three-year-old.
Bott did not compare Demerzel with Tropical Squall, but he is confident the daughter of Ole Kirk is also destined for better races over further than Wednesday’s assignment.
A classy win to Demerzel at Canterbury! ⭐️@clarkyhk @GaiWaterhouse1 @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/IIXRQCbatq
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 17, 2026
“She’s very professional and put them away nicely,” Bott said.
“I think the improvement’s really going to come when we can see her get over a bit further.
“I think over 1400 (or) 1600 metres as a three-year-old, we’re really going to see her be very effective.”
Demerzel, a $550,000 Inglis Easter yearling who started the easy $3.40 favourite, led all the way to score by 1-3/4 lengths from Consulate ($3.90), who finished a nose in an advance of Woodenbridge ($3.90).
Tim Clark hopped aboard for Wednesday’s win, which followed a debut fourth placing over 1100m under Rachel King, and he is of the same belief as Bott.
“For her to do what she did at 1100 the other day, it was a really good run, and then she obviously improved once she got out in trip a little bit,” Clark said.
“But I think her future lies when she gets out over a little bit further, she’s going to be a really nice filly.”
Demerzel was not the only winner Clark rode for Waterhouse and Bott who looks capable of racing through the grades with imported galloper Mo Chroi making a winning Australian debut.
The four-year-old son of Galiway, who came Down Under after two runs in Ireland for a win and a third, settled just behind the speed but finished strongly along the inside rail in the home straight to score a 1-1/4-length win in the 1550m event for BM72 performers.
Waterhouse and Bott’s other win came with Think I Will, who won the 1900m BM72 with Siena Grima aboard.
