Gai Delighted With 2015 Doncaster Mile Trio

Gai Waterhouse has three runners in the 2015 Doncaster Mile field and she expects Pornichet, Cosmic Endeavour and Diamond Drille to all fight out the finish in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Gai Waterhouse believes that Diamond Drille may be her best chance in the 2015 Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Gai Waterhouse believes that Diamond Drille may be her best chance in the 2015 Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Waterhouse has previously won the Doncaster Mile with Pharaoh (1994 and 1995), Sprint By (1996),  Secret Savings (1997), Assertive Lad (2001), Grand Armee (2003) and More Joyous (2012) and she is confident that any of her three chances can deliver her an historic eighth win the time-honored race this weekend.

“I have three great chances and you can back any one of them or put all three in the trifecta and I promise you they will be fighting out the finish,” Waterhouse told Racing Ahead.

Cosmic Endeavour is rated the outsider of Waterhouse’s three chances in the Doncaster Mile and there are still doubts over her ability to run out a strong mile after she finished at the tail of the field in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21, but Waterhouse said that the weather conditions at Rosehill Gardens that day meant that the Northern Meteor mare never had a chance in the Group 1 event.

“That day in the George Ryder there was fearsome wind blowing right in their faces and a cross wind,” Waterhouse said.

“Anything that led fell in a heap and she was no different.”

Diamond Drille has not recorded a race win since she took out the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but she returned to her best form with a fast-finishing third in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 14.

Waterhouse said that she is thrilled with Diamond Drille heading into the Doncaster Mile and she indicated that the Al Maher mare may be her best chance of winning an eighth Doncaster Mile.

“It is probably about three years since she has had that weight and I think that she is an outstanding winning chance,” Waterhouse said.

“I cannot fault either of my mares.”

Pornichet has been one of the best-backed runners in 2015 Doncaster Mile betting markets and the imported galloper is currently available at Doncaster Mile odds of $8 to record a maiden win at the highest level of racing.

The Vespone entire returned to winning form with an arrogant victory in the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28 and Waterhouse believes that the four-year-old may have a fitness edge over some of her rivals in the Group 1 event.

“He is a funny horse, he has come right because he is very fit,” Waterhouse said.

“Fitness is a massive advantage in these races.”

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.