Headwater is currently available at 2015 Silver Slipper odds of $3.60 and has been a clear market mover in betting for the Group 2 event at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.
Headwater recorded a strong win on debut in the 2015 Silver Slipper Stakes. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Headwater opened at a quote of $4.80 when the Silver Slipper Stakes field was released earlier in the week, but there has been an avalanche of support for the valuable colt and he is now on the second line of betting behind Godolphin colt Ottoman.
The Exceed And Excel colt was purchased for $500,000 by Team Hawkes at the 2014 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, a bargain compared to his three-quarter brother who went for $4 million at the same sale a week earlier, and he lived up to his expensive price tag when he made his racing debut with an impressive win over Stoker, Mr Jagger and Haybah in the Cactus Imaging Plate (1000m) at Moonee Valley on December 27.
Headwater was sent for a freshen-up following his impressive debut win and he was transferred to Team Hawkes Sydney base before he finished third behind Malmsteen and Man Up in a barrier trial at Rosehill Gardens on February 17.
Hawkes told RSN this morning that Headwater was in outstanding condition ahead of the 2015 Silver Slipper Stakes, but he admits that the juvenile faces the toughest challenge of his racing career to date
“He has gone to Sydney and handled himself really well,” Hawkes said.
“He had a good trial the other morning and he is certainly on target.
“He has to jump on Saturday and get the job done because if he can’t be doing that on Saturday you can’t be winning Slippers.”
Headwater was initially included in the entries for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), but Team Hawkes elected not to pay-up for the two-year-old at the third acceptances stage.
Hawkes said that he has respect for the Blue Diamond Stakes, but is already thinking about the potential value of Headwater at stud and believes that a victory in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) would be far more valuable.
“You can’t win them all,” Hawkes said.
“I know what it was like to win the Golden Slipper with Mossfun last year and I can only imagine what it would be like with a well-bred colt.
“It would just be a big ching-ching wouldn’t it.”
Ottoman remains favourite in the 2015 Silver Slipper betting market with Ladbrokes from Headwater, Team Snowden-trained Paceman ($4) and debut winner Holler ($6).
