Waterhouse chasing sixth win in Queen Of The Turf Stakes

Gai Waterhouse is chasing her sixth win in the Group 1 $1m Cellarbrations Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick today with outsider Diamond Drille.

Diamond Drille, blue and red, storms home to win the Aspiration Quality at Randwick.

Diamond Drille, blue and red, storms home to win the Aspiration Quality at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Waterhouse won her first Queen Of The Turf Stakes with Light Up The World in 1995 when the it was run as a Group 3 Handicap over 1500m at Rosehill.

Randwick’s leading trainer then scored with Danglissa in 2000 after the race has been elevated to Group 2 status and was in the winner’s stall again in 2004 with In A Bound.

Waterhouse’s champion mare More Joyous then won back to back Queen Of The Turf Stakes in 20011 and 2012 after the race for the fillies and the mares had been elevated again to Group 1 status under weight for age conditions in 2005.

Diamond Drille has been marked at Ladbrokes.com.au as one of the outsiders of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes at $26 following her last start fourth to Catkins in the Group 2 $175,000 Ascend Sales Trophies Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill two weeks ago.

At her previous start the Al Maher mare stormed home to win the Group 3 $150,000 The Irish Echo Aspiration Quality (1600m) at Randwick on March 15 which was her first win from twelve months.

“This filly had shown so much potential, she had a long spell and came back and never looked back,” Waterhouse said.

Waterhouse is stepping Diamond Drille up to Group 1 company for the first time in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes which is being run for the first time at Randwick over 1600m.

Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller will be saddling up the two favourites, Catkins ($2.90) and Red Tracer ($3.90).

Catkins was made the clear cut favourite for the Queen Of The Turf Stakes after winning the Group 2 $175,000 Ascend Sales Trophies Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 5 on a heavy 8.

And Waller is confident that the two time Group 1 winner Red Tracer can bounce back from an uncharacteristic performance when tenth behind Gordon Lord Byron in the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 29.

Diamond Drille will be ridden by stable jockey Tommy Berry and the trainer-jockey combination will also be teaming up in the other three Group 1s on the second day of ‘The Championships’ with Forever Loved in the $1m Seven News Australian Oaks (2400m), The Offer in the $1m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) and Carlton House in the $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

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.