Gai Waterhouse looks to defend Golden Slipper with promising duo

Racing Online - Horse Racing News - Gai Waterhouse looks to defend Golden Slipper with promising duo
Golden Slipper 2016

Golden Slipper 2016 has unearthed some of her 2016 Golden Slipper hopes at the Randwick on Tuesday morning.

The six-time Golden Slipper-winning trainer produced two of her best Slipper chances when Thyme For Roses and So Serene took to the Randwick track.

Thyme For Roses was a debut winner at Warwick Farm and So Serene finished second in the $250,000 . Sportsbet.com.au has both chances at $26 for the Golden Slipper, but Waterhouse believes stablemate Global Glamour is a nice chance at $34.

“Thyme For Roses and So Serene are definitely Golden Slipper-quality fillies,” Waterhouse said.

“They have already raced and have that experience which is so important with these young horses.

“But I do like Global Glamour, she is a talented filly and is in the same heat as Thyme For Roses.”

Waterhouse is looking to train back-to-back winners of the Golden Slipper when Vancouver defeated stablemate English last year. English was to trail at Randwick, but Waterhouse will wait for another week.

“I'm going to keep English at home for another week so or but she has come back really well,” Waterhouse said.

“I believe giving her that spell during spring has helped her enormously. Sometimes it is hard for them after they have a tough autumn and you need to monitor them, give them the extra time.”

Plans for Vancouver are being decided over the next few days. The $40 million colt went back to the paddock after finishing fourth behind the Chris Waller-trained Japonisme in the San Domenico Stakes.

“He is not ready to trial yet but the colt looks terrific,” Waterhouse said.

“I have been talking with the [owners] boys and we are in the process of mapping out plans for him in the next day or so.”

Global Glamour finished first in Heat 3 at Randwick on Tuesday morning. Thyme For Roses finished in second place.

So Serene finished third in its trial behind quality Foxwedge filly Aghna. The Gabrielle Englebrecht-trained runner is being set for the Widden Stakes on January 30 at after running third behind Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Capitalist on debut.

Buffering breaks barrier at Magic Millions

Besides the multiple Group 1-winning Buffering, the field for the $1 million Magic Millions Plate last Saturday was dreadful, but that didn't bother Buffering and trainer .

Buffering was the $1.20 favourite at closing time and even though it didn't win as easy as many had thought, the relief was bliss for Heathcote and it pushed Buffering through the $6 million barrier.

It became just the 11th horse in Australian racing to go past that mark, taking it past Takeover Target and behind only Black Caviar as Australia's highest earning sprinter.

“Takeover Target was pretty much a legend of Australian racing, so to think we've won a few more bob than him is a bit surreal,” Heathcote said.

“To be honest, it's an enormous feeling of relief. The expectation was that he would come here and just win, but it's never as simple as that.

“Hopefully he bought of lot of to Queenslanders in doing it. It's a huge thrill to do it on his home turf. It's not a Group 1, but it sure feels like it is.”

Damian Browne gave the eight-year-old a nice trip in transit and even a sneaky kiss as they returned to scale.

“It I wasn't so close to my wife I would put him in between us,” Browne quipped.

The Gold Coast crowd applauded Buffering before the race as it made its way to the starting gates.

“He has become accustomed to that now, that happens in Melbourne every time he goes on to the track,” Browne said. “It is certainly unusual as a jockey but something you have got to appreciate and take in every time.

“It was one of the easiest millions you would probably earn I suppose. He felt good and gave me a good ride as expected. Everything went pretty well to plan.”

Buffering looks on target to contest the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes on February 20 where it's currently a $12 chance with Sportsbet.com.au.

and Exosphere have taken most of the early money, but the value is clearly with Buffering at this stage in the betting.

Unbeaten Kiwi star heading to Australia

New Zealand superstar Hasselhoof will be coming to Australia for the Listed on February 20.

The Donna Logan-trained four-year-old is named after David Hasselhoff, who also follows the horse on Twitter, and has already gained a cult following in New Zealand after remaining unbeaten from six starts.

Logan stated the son of Tavistock has earned a trip to Australia after winning a group race at Ellerslie last start.

“He's stepped up every time we've asked him to and you can't do anything more than that at this point,” Logan said.

“I guess the time will come when he gets rolled but that's racing.

“We decided that at some stage we're going to have to take him over to Australia so we thought we'll take him over now and just see how he travels and settles in and take it from there.

“We've looked at what's in front of us over here in New Zealand and there's really not a lot.

“At this point we'll run him at a mile and then there's a Listed 1900 metre race on the 20th (February)” – referring to the Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) which will be staged at Rosehill on Hobartville Stakes day.”

Logan said a Melbourne spring campaign was in store for the talented type but immaturity kept it in New Zealand.

“He was very immature mentally and physically but he'd shown us he could gallop so we thought we'd wait for him and give him the time,” Logan said.

“If he doesn't travel it will be just as easy to come back home and start again – we've been that patient with him it's definitely not worth pushing buttons at this point in his life.”

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