Big race jockey Craig Williams is confident that his mount Catchy will be able to overcome several unknown elements when she lines up in the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Catchy, above in red and white colours, will be facing a wet track for the first time in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Lindsay Park trained Catchy, with Williams in the saddle, is undefeated from four starts, which includes a win in the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 25, will be having her first start outside of Melbourne going the opposite way and will be facing a rain affected track for the first time.
The Rosehill track was rated a heavy 9 on Thursday morning after receiving 49.5mm of rain in the last seven days with more rain forecast for the Sydney area in the lead up to the weekend.
Williams said that Catchy has handled everything that has been thrown at her to date and he is very confident that she will be able to cope with the different conditions in the Golden Slipper.
“It is a big question mark,” Williams told AAP.
“But one thing I know about her is that she’ll still try and still give her best.
“She doesn’t know anything else but to stick her head out in front and win these fights and win these races.
“If you want to go to war with a horse, she’s the horse you want to go to war with.”
“She’s just big, strong, and has also got the smarts to go with it.”
“She’s very intelligent and it’s like she’s been here before.
“You could see in the Blue Diamond, anything I wanted to do with her she was very responsive.
“That’s why, yes it’s not ideal to go straight into the Golden Slipper first time right-handed but she’s smart enough and adaptable enough I believe to be able to overcome that.”
Williams will be chasing his second win in the Golden Slipper after Miss Finland made it a one act affair with a four and a half lengths wins in 2006 for trainer David Hayes.
The new look Lindsay Park Team of David Hayes and his son Ben and Tom Dabernig have qualified four juveniles for the Golden Slipper and as well as Catchy, will saddle up Blue Diamond Stakes third and fourth placegetters Formality and Tulip plus the Exceed And Excel filly Madeenaty.
Catchy drew barrier eight in the original draw but will move in one spot if second emergency Showtime fails to gain a start and the Fastnet Rock filly has been well supported in early betting for the Golden Slipper at Ladbrokes.com.au, firming in from $7 to be the third favourite at $6 behind Houtzen at $4.40 and She Will Reign at $5.50.
Tulip is also well in contention at $10 after handling a soft 7 rated track to win the Group 3 $175,000 Chandon S Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill last Saturday while Formality at $26 and Madeenaty at $61 are a couple of outsiders in the sixteen horse Golden Slipper field.
