Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have been enjoying a stellar season with their two-year-olds and jockey Tim Clark is hoping that can continue when he links with the stable’s latest promising debutant at Randwick.
The meeting will be Clark’s first Saturday back in Sydney this year, the top hoop having had brief breaks either side of riding at the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions carnival where he won the Trophy on So United and The Debut for the two-year-old fillies aboard Too Darn Lizzie.
Clark will partner Russian Roulette for Tulloch Lodge in the Join ATC Membership Handicap (1000m) on Saturday, the colt a $4.60 second favourite with betting sites after posting successive barrier trial wins at Warwick Farm.
Russian Roulette will come into barrier 11 after three early scratchings and Clark says the stable’s reports on the $360,000 Magic Millions purchase have been encouraging.
“I haven’t had a lot to do with him, but he’s a beautiful colt,” Clark said.
“He is quite striking to look at and both his trials have been strong.
“With the two-year-olds they’ve got in their stable, you can get a good guide on where their ability lays and I think this bloke has got nice ability.”
Waterhouse and Bott have enviable depth in their two-year-old ranks with the likes of Magic Millions winner Storm Boy, Golden Gift victor Shangri La Express and Espionage, who took out the Breeders’ Plate.
They won the juvenile race at Rosehill last weekend with Fully Lit and along with Russian Roulette, will also be represented by Zoustar youngster Kaluakoi on Saturday.
Clark links with Waterhouse and Bott’s Dajraan in the day’s feature, the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m), the six-year-old entire having been freshened following three disappointing runs over the spring and summer.
A winner at Group 3 level, Clark has no doubt Dajraan can feature if he has his mind on the job and the first time addition of blinkers could aid that.
“He left us scratching our heads a bit last prep,” Clark said.
“He is still a colt and an older colt at that. He has kept us guessing a little bit, but on his day, if he can produce something like his best that would be good enough to be more than competitive in a race like this.”
