Driefontein Will Bring A-Game in Expressway Stakes

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Driefontein has proven she’s a tough mare after racing through the spring and summer without a break, however that doesn’t mean she won’t be bringing her A-game to the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse on Saturday.

After running straight through the spring and summer Driefontein's campaign will near an end in the Expressway Stakes.

After running straight through the spring and summer Driefontein’s campaign will near an end in the Expressway Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.

The five-year-old mare has travelled from Melbourne to Sydney to the Gold Coast in the past three months and will travel back to Sydney for the 2015 Expressway Stakes.

“She is remarkable and she is back in Sydney in good order and really ready to go on Saturday,” Waterhouse’s racing manager, Adrian Bott, told Racing Network on Thursday.

Pocketing more than $2 million in prize money from her 33 career starts, Driefontein will be searching for a share of the $200,000 on offer this Saturday.

The mare is one of 11 confirmed sprinters in the race, set to jump from barrier five with Blake Shinn to ride. She has been allocated 56.5kg in the weights, making her one of only two runners set to carry less than 58.5kg along with Panzer Division (55kg).

Driefontein was runner-up in the Group 2 Tab.com.au Stakes (1200m) at Flemington during the spring but weakened out in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) one week later, finishing five and a half lengths behind the winner Terravista in tenth place.

The mare then continued racing into the summer, finishing midfield in the Listed Canterbury Classic (1200m) on December 27 before travelling to the Gold Coast for the $400,000 Magic Millions Cup (1400m) on January 10.

She ran an eye-catching fourth to stable mate Spurtonic, missing out on third place by a quarter of a length. Considering the mare was caught wide and carried the top weight of 59.5kg, it was a commendable effort.

“She ran a big race on the Gold Coast, carried the big weight and got too far back which wasn’t her fault,” Bott said.

“She is back in really good order and they’ll know she’s there on Saturday in what looks a very strong race.”

Driefontein is an $8.50 shot in the Expressway Stakes betting market at Ladbrokes.com.au, for which Panzer Division is the $3.40 firm favourite.

About The Author