Bott hopes Gerringong can overcome wide gate in Gai Waterhouse Classic

By Glenn Davis

It would be entirely appropriate if the nation’s most successful female trainer Gai Waterhouse wins a race named in her honour.

Waterhouse, Australia’s First Lady and a winner of 161 Group 1s, has done it once already and is chasing her second win in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic with consistent filly Gerringong at Ipswich on Saturday.

Waterhouse and her training partner Adrian Bott won the Ipswich feature with Ready To Prophet in 2019 but hopes of a second trophy in the Ipswich feature have been dealt a cruel blow after Gerringong drew a horror barrier 16.

Gerringong - a Regan Bayliss mount - never raced as a two-year-old but has had five starts as a three-year-old and is coming off two seconds in stakes races at Scone and Eagle Farm.

The filly is lining up for her third start this campaign after an eye-catching second to the Bill Healey-trained Cosmic Force at her last appearance in the Listed Queensland Day Stakes at Eagle Farm on June 7.

The daughter of Blue Point earned her second trip to Queensland after finishing second to the Chris Waller-trained Summer Flame in the Listed Denise’s Joy over 1100 metres at Scone on May 17.

Bott was impressed with both recent performances but fears she faces a huge task from her wide barrier.

“She’s been excellent this campaign and was a touch unlucky both times but she’s proven herself at this level,” Bott said.

“She had a bad alley last start which worked against her and it’s not ideal that she’s drawn bad again.

“She’s got the speed to race forward but she got a bit hampered at the start last run and had to go back.

“If she can break cleanly this time she might be able to get in a forward position but Ipswich is a tricky track.”

Gerringong is raced by former Magic Millions part-owner and business tycoon John Singleton in partnership with some rugby league icons including Eels premiership winners Mick Cronin, Bob O'Reilly and Peter Wynne.

Former Jets legends Barry Wood, Phil Sigsworth and Col Murphy are also co-owners.

Gerringong showed ability early in her three-year-old season winning her maiden on debut at Canterbury in Sydney in November last year.

She backed up to win at Canterbury at her next appearance earning her first Queensland trip for a $3 million slot race, the inaugural Magic Millions Sunlight at the Sunshine Coast in January.

However, Gerringong could only manage seventh to subsequent Group 1 The Galaxy winner Private Harry in the Sunlight.