ing a prestigious list of star juveniles, Gai Waterhouse’s speedy filly Overreach has won the 2013 Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon in a dominant display to hand her trainer with her incredible fifth win in the world’s richest two-year-olds’ race.
Overreach gives Gai Waterhouse her fifth Golden Slipper win. Picture: Steve Hart
The Exceed And Excel filly had been installed at the top of the markets for the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) since betting on the final field opened thanks to her two emphatic Sydney wins this time in.
After a six length Widden Stakes success Overreach backed up to easily defeat former Golden Slipper favourite Villa Verde, five lengths away seventh today, in the Reisling Stakes and completed an autumn hat-trick with her classy Golden Slipper victory.
It was back-to-back Slipper trophies for Waterhouse too after Sydney’s leading lady of racing saluted in the classic last year with Pierro.
While the trainer was no stranger to the Slipper scene it was a first for young jockey Tommy Berry who enjoyed the biggest win of his career, the 21-year-old in tears after the emotional victory which was his fourth in Group 1 company.
“She’s put a lot of trust into me and so have the owners,” Berry said speaking about his ‘mother-figure’ Waterhouse.
“I’m so lucky to be in this position.
“I never thought this would happen to me especially this early.”
Waterhouse had three runners in the race and also scored third with her Silver Slipper Stakes winning filly Sweet Idea ($10) finishing just behind Peter Snowden’s brave runner-up Sidestep ($11) also by the winning sire Exceed And Excel.
Overreach ($2.80F) was away from her advantageous barrier one draw well and settled into second just off roughie runner Kuroshio who set the pace, Sweet Idea in third.
With 300m to go in the day’s marquee event Overreach turned it on and raced away from the rails where a very cool and collected Berry had her positioned having faith that it wouldn’t be too chopped up, and she was able to sprint to the front.
“I asked Gai before the race ‘can I stick to the fence’? Berry said speaking tactics.
“And she said ‘you do what you want as long as you win’”.
A rank above her rivals, the easing favourite showed off her blistering turn of foot pulling well clear of the rest of the Golden Slipper field in a single stride to put the result beyond doubt and blow away her competition in an impressive effort to win by nearly two lengths.
“She showed her superiority,” Waterhouse said.
“She flew from the gates, and Tommy, cool as a cucumber!
“We talked about the track long and hard before the race and he said “if I put her right up on the fence I think I’ve got a chance’.
“I didn’t commit him to this filly for a longest time, and he didn’t say boo.
“He’s not only a great jockey but he’s got a lovely ability to flow with things, that’s the people that are the most successful in things I believe.”
It was also an excellent Golden Slipper result 2013 for owner George Altomonte who also bred the winner.
“It’s just tremendous. I’ve bred her, I own her, I’ve bred a winner,” he said.
“It’s nice to have this one.”
Altomonte was also full of post-race praise for the up-and-coming Berry.
“I think it’s a real crossroads in his career, getting this race will really set him off and he’s very deserving of it he’s a great man,” he said.
This year the best Golden Slipper odds were available online through bookmaker.com.au – the country’s premier online betting agency offering punters the hottest autumn betting markets.
They are also home of the Australian-first Pick Your Own Odds markets on all the metro majors allowing you to choose the price you want on the horse you’re backing!
2013 Golden Slipper Results & Finishing Order
Rosehill Race 7 – 06/04/2013
| Place | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | OVERREACH | Gai Waterhouse | Tommy Berry | – | 1 | 54.5kg | $2.80F |
| 2 | 4 | SIDESTEP | Peter Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 1.8L | 5 | 56.5kg | $11 |
| 3 | 13 | SWEET IDEA | Gai Waterhouse | Jim Cassidy | 2.8L | 4 | 54.5kg | $10 |
| 4 | 15 | GUELPH | Peter Snowden | Christian Reith | 3.4L | 8 | 54.5kg | $18 |
| 5 | 2 | FAST ’N’ ROCKING | David Hayes | Steven Arnold | 4L | 13 | 56.5kg | $26 |
| 6 | 1 | CRITERION (NZ) | David Payne | Hugh Bowman | 4.3L | 2 | 56.5kg | $9.50 |
| 7 | 14 | VILLA VERDE | Shaun Dwyer | Michael Rodd | 4.9L | 15 | 54.5kg | $10 |
| 8 | 8 | CHARLIE BOY | Gerald Ryan | Glyn Schofield | 6.2L | 12 | 56.5kg | $19 |
| 9 | 10 | WINDJAMMER | Bjorn Baker | Peter Robl | 6.7L | 10 | 56.5kg | $51 |
| 10 | 5 | I’M ALL THE TALK | Gary Portelli | Brenton Avdulla | 7.1L | 11 | 56.5kg | $26 |
| 11 | 9 | VA PENSIERO | Jason Coyle | Tim Clark | 7.2L | 7 | 56.5kg | $101 |
| 12 | 16 | ROMANTIC MOON | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 7.3L | 6 | 54.5kg | $26 |
| 13 | 6 | WHITTINGTON | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 7.4L | 9 | 56.5kg | $16 |
| 14 | 3 | KUROSHIO | Peter Snowden | Joshua Parr | 7.5L | 14 | 56.5kg | $81 |
| 15 | 12 | RUUD AWAKENING | Stephen Marsh | Craig Williams | 7.9L | 16 | 54.5kg | $8.50 |
| 16 | 7 | DOTHRAKI | Gerald Ryan | Corey Brown | 13.3L | 3 | 56.5kg | $61 |
| – | 18 | IL CAVALLO | Peter G Moody | – | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 17 | HAVANA | Paul Messara | – | – | 0 | – | – |
