A week after dominating feature races in Sydney and Melbourne, Gai Waterhouse has assembled a team of horses capable of continuing her stellar form at Rosehill on Saturday.
Tulloch Lodge will have runners in all seven stakes races on the Coolmore Classic card including two in the main race – Diamond Drille and Adrift.
She will also run Greatwood in the Australian Cup at Flemington.
The Coolmore focus surrounds the John Thompson-trained First Seal who has opened odds-on for her first test against the older mares but Waterhouse has drawn confidence from Adrift’s recent Light Fingers Stakes win over the favourite.
And having prepared Assertive Lass (1997), Bollinger (2003), Shamekha (2004) and Tuesday Joy (2009) to win the Coolmore in their three-year-old seasons, Waterhouse has no doubt Adrift is capable of adding her name to that list.
“She measures right up,” Waterhouse said.
“I was quite adamant with the owners that she run in this race.
“I just thought it was the right race for her.”
Diamond Drille has finished midfield in her two runs from a spell but Waterhouse has her ready to peak in the Coolmore.
The mare traditionally takes a couple of runs to find her best form and she was a Group Three winner at Randwick third-up last autumn before going on to claim a Group One success two starts later.
“She’s just come right into her own,” Waterhouse said.
“She is such a big, burly mare. She will run an enormous race and (jockey) James McDonald will suit her down to the ground.”
Tommy Berry rides Adrift who has drawn barrier three while Diamond Drille has gate 10, immediately inside First Seal.
Arabian Gold came up with the outside barrier in the 13-horse field, a draw trainer trainer David Vandyke regarded as a major blow.
“It’s a horror draw for us,” Vandyke said.
“She’s a mare who really appreciates a good barrier.
“It certainly dents our chances.”
Saturday’s program represents the final chance for two-year-olds to force their way into the Golden Slipper with a field of nine to line up in the Pago Pago Stakes for the colts and geldings and 14 fillies to clash in the Magic Night Stakes.
Waterhouse will start midweek winner Raphael’s Cat in the Pago Pago and has three Magic Night runners including Speak Fondly, a last-start second to nominal race favourite Always Allison.
