Adrian Bott: key insights ahead of Stradbroke Handicap Day

Following a successful Autumn carnival highlighted by four Group 1 scalps including the coveted Golden Slipper, Gai Waterhouse and co-trainer Adrian Bott set their sights on a maiden Stadbroke Handicap triumph this Saturday at Eagle Farm.

The training duo saddle up the $5.00 favourite Dawn Passage, who will jump from the widest barrier (18). 

This is a race the stable would so dearly love to win, with Bott suggesting they have the right horse for the job, "he's definitely the right profile of horse to do it, it's a really nice race for these progressive three-year-old's" 

Listen to the full interview in the audio file below. 

The son of Dawn Approach has won his last three runs in impressive fashion and is now on the quick back-up in pursuit of his first Group One victory. 

"I've got a gut feeling that the back-up will suit, he's a tough sort of horse and he's at the right point of his preparation where it should suit." 

"He seems bright and happy in his work and he's done well in the feed bin- his appetite is there."

The barrier draw in 18 may have deterred a few punters early this week, however Bott believes it could work in the gun colt's favour.

"Looking back over the past 10 years, there's been quite a good record of horses drawn out wide in the Stradbroke.

"I said earlier in the week that I didn't want to be drawn on the fence, so I certainly got that wish! We've got full faith in James (Innes Jnr) and we have a nice light weight."

 

Listen to Adrian as he talks tactics with Dawn Passage ahead of this Saturday's Stradbroke Handicap.  

 

Earlier in the day, the stable saddle up Navy Cross in the Group 3 Rough Habit. The son of I Am Invincible produced a gutsy win last start, carrying 60kg to victory over 2200m at the Sunshine Coast, with Bott suggesting the run has brought him on well.

"Having the run at the Sunshine Coast was excellent for him, it's just toughened him up and given him the condition he needed, for what's going to be a tough race for him on Saturday." 

Jockey Blake Spriggs has just stepped out of quarantine to take the ride and he suggested to Bott that the horse is thriving and he's "ready to run through brick walls". 

 

Listen to the full interview, where Adrian talks through the best of his runners for Saturday, Sunday and Monday and find out how Golden Slipper Farnan has returned from a spell. 

 

Bott also provided theGreatTipOff with his thoughts on some of the stable's other runners over the weekend: 

Saturday - Randwick Race 9 #12 Regal Stage

"A jump up in class but we're trying get him down in the weights" 

"We want to give him every chance to see out the mile, that's as far as he wants and we might need to give him a kinder ride on Saturday, to give him every chance of seeing that out"

"Hopefully we can see him on top of the ground, because that's where he's best placed" 

 

Sunday - Hawkesbury 1400m Maiden - Chief Geronimo

"Was very good at Canberra the other day, I thought it was just his inexperience that got him beat"

"He's come on really well, I've been delighted with his work"

 

Sunday - Hawkesbury 1400m Maiden - Narvaez 

"Is probably our best chance of the day"

"He's just been crying out for a distance like this"

"Dropping in grade and going up in trip, he'll be able to put himself in a more prominent role and if he gets those conditions, he'll be hard to run down"

 

Monday - Mornington 2000m BM78 - Stellar Impact

"She's done well since being down in Melbourne"

"Just a really progressive type, I believe the form out of her last start has stood up well" 

"This looks to be an ideal stepping stone for her, I think there is better things to come"

 

Interested in becoming a horse owner? Check out a list of yearlings currently available with Gai and Adrian.