Overreach good chance to back up in Sires Produce

Gai Waterhouse will be looking for more Group 1 glory with Golden Slipper winner Overreach who is a good chance of backing up in the Group 1 $500,000 ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

overreach

Overreach and Tommy Berry score a clear cut win in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Overreach will be trying to emulate her star stablemate Pierro who went on to claim the two year old Triple Crown by winning the Sires Produce and the Group 1 $400,000 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick after winning the Group 1 $3.5m AAMI Golden Slipper (1200m).

Pierro has gone on to became Sydney’s top three year old, keeping his home town winning record intact with ten from ten including two stunning wins at weight for age this campaign.

After winning first up against the three year olds in the Group 2 $200,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on March 2, Pierro beat the older horses in the Group 1 $350,000 Cellarbrations Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on March 23 followed by a win over tough Kiwi King Mufhasa in the Group 1 $400,000 The Daily Telegraph George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill last Saturday.

Waterhouse is also considering backing up Golden Slipper third placegetter Sweet Idea after both fillies seem to have pulled up okay after Saturday’s run.

“Both fillies had their heads in their buckets eating ferociously,” Waterhouse said yesterday.

Overreach ran right up to her Slipper lead up form and with a perfect ride from Tommy Berry from barrier one, was able to secure the young jockey’s first Golden Slipper success, which was Waterhouse’s fifth in the richest two year old race in the world.

Berry is very grateful to Waterhouse for giving him the opportunity to ride for her and has rewarded the leading Randwick trainer with their third Group 1 success together.

Berry combined with Waterhouse to score a Group 1 winning double in the Spring with wins on Fat Al in the $500,000 The Star Epsom (1600m) and Glencadam Gold in the $400,000 McGrath Estate Agents Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 6.

“She’s really turned my career around and turned me around as a jockey. She gave me a new way of looking at races,” Berry said.

“She’s so tough, but she’s so rewarding at the end. I’ll be back at trackwork, picking horses and trotting them around the middle. She’ll put my feet straight back on the ground.”

Golden Slipper runner Sidestep will be sent for a spell but Darley stablemate Guelph is a chance of backing up in the Sires Produce after finishing fourth to Overreach in the Golden Slipper.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.