The Widden Stakes has produced the past two winners of the Golden Slipper and that feat could be replicated in 2015 after a classy group of two-year-old fillies were included in the field for the Group 3 event at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.
Giulietta will be one of two Gai Waterhouse-trained runners in the 2015 Widden Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Gai Waterhouse has an excellent record in the Widden Stakes and she has included debut winners Giulietta and Pierrette in the acceptances for this year’s race.
Giulietta stamped herself as a horse to watch when she scored an impressive two lengths victory in a barrier trial over 740 metres at Royal Randwick on December 15 and she proved that performance was no fluke when she led from start to finish in the Multi Plate (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 3.
Pierrette was given two barrier trials before she made he racing debut with a narrow win over the highly-rated Sebring Sun in the Betting Season Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick, but she was not particularly impressive in two barrier trials at Rosehill Gardens on January 6 and Royal Randwick on January 15.
The other horse in the 2015 Widden Stakes field that is taking winning form into the race is Godolphin-owned Calaverite.
Calaverite went into the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 4 as one of the outsiders of the field, but she produced a professional performance to finish over the top of her rivals and record an impressive win, while runner-up Igraine will also contest the Widden Stakes this weekend.
Gerald Ryan-trained Fireworks has been unable to breakthrough for a maiden race win, but she was arguably unlucky not to take out both The Entertainment Grounds Handicap (1000m) at Gosford on December 29 and the Hyland Race Colours Plate (1100m) at Royal Randwick on January 17, while Team Cummings-trained Tempt Me Not had no luck when he made his racing debut with a second place finish in the Vein Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 18.
Team Hawkes won the 2014 edition of the Widden Stakes with subsequent Golden Slipper winner Mossfun and they have included Lake Geneva in this year’s acceptances.
Chris Waller is still chasing his first two-year-old winner of the season and he has included both Micucci and Always Allison in the Widden Stakes field, while the event is rounded out by Garry Frazer-trained Entrancing and Team Cummings debutant Yattarna.
