Sweet Redemption looking to atone

Taxed by a first-up win at Randwick, Sweet Redemption is now looking to bounce back in the Golden Pendant.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained mare opened her campaign in style when she won the Group Three Toy Show Quality (1300m) on August 19.

Bott said the effort expended by Sweet Redemption was only apparent when she was unplaced in the Listed Mona Lisa (1350m) at Wyong on September 1.

The co-trainer was forgiving ahead of Saturday’s Group Two 1400-metre feature for fillies and mares at Rosehill.

“She ran some very good sectionals first-up, put in a very forward performance and at Wyong she felt that,” Bott said.

Bott is upbeat she can get back on track for a campaign aimed at the Group One Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on November 4.

“She’s had a freshen-up and we think 1400 metres to a mile is her optimal trip,” he said.

The stable is also looking to Sort After to improve after a baffling flop in the Group Three Tibbie Stakes (1400m) in Newcastle last Friday.

After an encouraging fourth in the Mona Lisa, Sort After trailed the Tibbie field, eight lengths adrift of Lubiton.

“It was hard to put our finger on what was the reason for the poor performance there after showing so much promise at Wyong,” Bott said.

He expected Sort After to thrive over longer trips and said improving on her second in the Group Two Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last year was the goal.

Waterhouse and Bott also have two runners in the Listed Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) – Broadside, the $2.25 favourite, and Dee I Cee ($5.50).

Broadside, who will back up from winning the Newcastle Gold Cup, is being aimed at the Group One The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick a week after Saturday.