Gai Waterhouse | Gai Waterhouse News 58523 Playing By The Rules

Emma Reeves aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend.

Phenom, Saturday 12th April, Morphettville, Race 8:

I’m really excited about all of our runners this weekend, and there are themes from my weekly narrative running through almost all of them. From Friday’s Country Cup to Saturday’s imports, it really is my sweet spot. I want to focus on Morphettville though, as Phenom is a great example of a long-range plan we’ve had to adapt—and Saturday will reveal the fruits of our labour.

Adrian has always felt that Phenom was an Oaks-style filly, so when she won two on the bounce last preparation and capped it off with a Stakes placing, the decision was made to spell her and focus on the autumn. Her first-up run was simply a starting point, but we felt there was a more suitable, gentler path toward the ATC Oaks in Melbourne, so we shipped her down. She won her next start at the midweeks against the boys, and it was then that we discussed bypassing Sydney and focusing on Adelaide.

We had lengthy discussions with her owner about whether she would travel for her next start or the one after, and ultimately decided to have her perfectly primed fourth-up to secure a much-deserved Stakes win. She was terrific last time out against strong opposition, which gave us the confidence to stick to our newly amended plan.

Rochelle Milnes has never ridden for us and is still an apprentice, which isn’t our usual formula at this level—but there’s no more in-form jockey in the country right now. Hurry Curry is the only horse better weighted than us, but I don’t see any runner with stronger form lines than Phenom. There’s still some uncertainty, but if she travels well and relishes the extra distance the way we think she will, this could be a very satisfying one.