Gai Waterhouse is not always right, but it didn’t matter as Cosmic Endeavour roared down the centre to win Saturday’s Scone Guineas, leading home a stable trifecta.
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When Kerrin McEvoy walked out to meet Waterhouse before the Guineas, they differed on the way Cosmic Endeavour should be ridden but both were confident.
“I wanted to stay a bit wide and Gai wanted to cut the corner and then get out to the centre,” McEvoy said. “In the end I couldn’t get in and ended up out there but it didn’t matter, she was just too good. She is a really nice filly.”
Waterhouse said: “I told him that she was the right filly and he just had to ride her right. He did and she got the win. It was great that the others could fill the placings.”
Cosmic Endeavour rounded up stablemates Liberty’s Choice to score by a half-length with Ryker holding on for third a further half-length back.
It was a triumph for the Waterhouse stable, but punters were left cold after favourite Chautauqua missed the start by three lengths.
“He just stood and didn’t get away with them, and in a race like that you just can’t give up that sort of start,” said Chautauqua’s jockey, Dwayne Dunn. “It was over then.”
Chautauqua, which started $2.50, ran into fifth, coming along the worst section of the track near the fence, and was beaten 2-1/4 lengths but never looked a winning chance.
Waterhouse had thought Cosmic Endeavour was the real favourite and was delighted to see her get a deserved win.
“She has been a model of consistency. She was well weighted against the boys and [Waterhouse’s husband] Rob marked her 5-4 [odds] this morning,” Waterhouse said. “She won how you would expect a short-priced favourite to win.”
There had been some nervous moments for Waterhouse, who admitted she couldn’t find Cosmic Endeavour at the top of the straight when Ryker had skipped clear.
“I actually thought she was a million-to-one because I couldn’t find her when Ryker was out in front,” she said.
“Then I spotted her and she just exploded when the run came. She has a really good turn of foot and she just put them away.”
Bjorn Baker never had his hopes risen by Twilight Royale, which was shooting for a $2.4 million bonus in the Guineas but failed to beat one home.
“It has been a great ride with her," he said. "We were lucky enough to win those two Inglis bonus races as a two-year-old and we had to have a go at this race. She hasn’t been in form since since won the VRC Sires and raced like that today.
“That is it for her, she has been put in the Magic Millions sale next week, but she has given these owners a lot of thrills and is a valuable broodmare now.”
