Gai holds upper hand in Golden Slipper

Sunday 3 March 2013, 4:50pm

Gai Waterhouse believes the new season's fillies hold sway over their male counterparts and has two of the best ready to press the point home in the Golden Slipper.

The Waterhouse-trained Overreach is the early favourite for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper on April 6 while Sweet Idea guaranteed herself a start with victory in the Silver Slipper on Saturday.

The two biggest races of the season so far have been won by fillies with Missy Longstocking beating Sweet Idea in the $2 million Magic Millions in January and Miracles Of Life taking out the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes.

Miracles Of Life was not among the Slipper nominations and the decision has been made to give her a break at home in Adelaide rather than ask her to peak again for the Slipper.

Overreach replaced Villa Verde at the top of the Slipper market when she won the Widden Stakes last month.

"The fillies have got it all over the colts this year," Waterhouse said.

Villa Verde hasn't raced since the spring where her two wins included the Debutants Stakes in which Overreach ran second.

Trainer Shaun Dwyer decided against a Blue Diamond campaign for Villa Verde to concentrate on the Slipper.

The filly had a workout with race jockey Michael Rodd aboard at Bendigo on Sunday in the clockwise direction, with the bulk of the gallop down the back straight.

She will have one lead-in to the Golden Slipper in the Reisling Stakes at Rosehill on March 23.

"The key today was that Michael was here to ride her and he said that everything is just perfect with her," Dwyer said.

"We'll just take her day by day and keep her here as long as we can but at this stage well head to Sydney for the Reisling.

Overreach is TAB's $4.60 Golden Slipper favourite with Villa Verde at $8.

Sweet Idea firmed to $15 with her Silver Slipper win with Charlie Boy the most favoured of the males so far, also at $15.

Charlie Boy ran third in the Silver Slipper, an effort that pleased his trainer Gerald Ryan given the heavy track.

"He was first-up and he will improve," Ryan said.

"I was very pleased given the conditions."

– AAP

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