Waterhouse Delighted With Sweet Idea Ahead Of Surround Stakes

Leading trainer Gai Waterhouse has named Sweet Idea as the best three-year-old filly in Australia and is confident that she can record her fourth straight victory when she contests the Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

Sweet Idea is one of several winning chances that Gai Waterhouse has at Warwick Farm this weekend.

Sweet Idea is one of several winning chances that Gai Waterhouse has at Warwick Farm this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Sweet Idea missed the majority of the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival after being suspended for bleeding when during the running of the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m), but has been most impressive since returning to the races at the end of last year.

The Snitzel filly resumed with a narrow win over Weinholt in the Wyong Magic Millions Stakes (1200m) on December 19 and scored a tough all the way win in the Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 11.

After a brief freshen-up, Sweet Idea reappeared at Royal Randwick for the Group 2 Light Finger Stakes (1200m) and was too strong for the rest of the field that included four-time Group 1 winner Guelph.

Waterhouse told TVN that she could not have been happier with the performance of Sweet Idea in the Light Finger Stakes and expects her to maintain her stellar form in the Surround Stakes this weekend.

“She is an outstanding filly; she is probably the best three-year-old filly in Australia,” Waterhouse said.

“She toyed with her rivals the other day.

“She reminds me of the two-year-old Mossfun who won the other day; they are very similar sort of fillies.

“No matter rain affected or dry track, Sweet Idea handles it and I think that the 1400 metres she will handle admirably.”

Waterhouse has a strong hand at both Flemington and Warwick Farm this weekend, with Fiorente chasing his second Group 1 win in the Australian Cup, and the colourful trainer is particularly excited to see Spurtonic return to action in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m).

Spurtonic was competitive at Group 1 level during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, finishing a narrow fourth behind Boban in the Epsom Handicap (1600m), and Waterhouse believes that the son of Flying Spur is good enough to win the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.

“He is a group horse this horse,” Waterhouse said.

“He is a massive horse and is a lovely character.

“He is pretty forward and I am heading him towards the Doncaster.”

Waterhouse also has both Order Of The Sun and Glencadam Gold running in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

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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.