The push for Sweet Idea in today’s Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) is gaining momentum on a rain affected Rosehill track that has been rated a slow 7 this morning.
Sweet Idea winning the Silver Slipper on a heavy track at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Gai Waterhouse has said that the short priced favourite Overreach had been her pick since the Exceed And Excel filly demolished two smart fields in her lead up runs but with the rain this week, even Waterhouse is starting to lean towards the stablemate Sweet Idea.
Sweet Idea showed that she can handle the wet with a win on the heavy in the Group 2 $200,000 Patinack Farm Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on March 2 and Jim Cassidy is certain to give the Snitzel filly the run of the race from barrier four.
“Sweet Idea is bombproof,” Waterhouse said.
“She handles the wet. She’s big and strong, built like a colt, she has great gate speed and I think the horse that beats her will win the Slipper.
“I expect her to fight the finish out.”
The rain affected track has also put a dampener of the number one barrier for Overreach with Waterhouse suggesting the inside of the 1200m could suffer from the wet conditions.
“I think Overreach will win but I concede a wet surface complicates things,” Waterhouse said.
“For a start, barrier one ceases to be a luxury – inside of the 1200m chute can be a shade inferior if wet. I don’t know if she’ll handle “soft”. But she has the best chance.
“I am a bit “sweet” on Sweet Idea.”
Sweet Idea has come in for solid support overnight and has firmed from $10 to $8.50 while Overreach has drifted slightly from $2.50 to $2.80.
The Peter Snowden trained Sidestep, with the blinkers on for the first time, remains on the $9 line with Villa Verde still a $12 chance and Group 1 winning New Zealand filly Ruud Awakening at $13.
Waterhouse’s third runner Whittington is a $19 chance.
Whereas Overreach and Sweet Idea have the luxury of a good barrier draw, Villa Verde from gate fifteen and Ruud Awakening from sixteen will need plenty of luck, even in the wet conditions.
