Waterhouse, Bott after another St Leger
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are looking to extend their record in the VRC St Leger.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott is confident Sacramento has the right profile to continue the stable’s recent domination of the VRC St Leger at Flemington.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse has won the Listed VRC St Leger four times in the past seven years with Hippopus (2013), Order Of The Sun (2014), Runaway (2018) and Transact (2019).
The past two have been in partnership with Bott who believes Sacramento is well-placed to deliver a third-straight win for the stable on Saturday in the 2800m-race for three-year-olds.
“Sacramento certainly fits that profile again. I think he’s a really nice prospect for this race,” Bott said.
“He’s just taken a bit of time like most of these staying types do, but he’s really strengthened and developed into himself this campaign and I think that’s been shown in his racing.
“I think he’s very well-placed and I think we’re taking a nice progressive stayer there.”
Sacramento goes into the St Leger off a last-start fifth behind Quick Thinker in the Group One Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick earlier this month.
The gelding is no stranger to Victorian racing having had his first seven starts in the state last year with his best result third in the Derby Trial (1800m) at Flemington in spring.
He broke his maiden first-up this campaign at Queanbeyan before winning at Canberra over 2000m and finishing second over 2400m at Warwick Farm leading into the Derby.
Bott said it was a bit of a rushed Derby preparation and while Sacramento finished 8-1/2-lengths from Quick Thinker, the trainer thought there was still merit in his performance.
“I thought when the pressure came on early he stuck on very well considering,” Bott said.
“While he was beaten a fair margin I still thought it was a very game run in defeat for where he was at and I think he’s got the potential to improve off that run and stepping up even further in distance is only going to benefit him more.”
After the St Leger, the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m) two weeks later in Adelaide is an option.
Sacramento, to be ridden by Ben Melham, was the $5.50 second favourite for the St Leger on Thursday behind the Robbie Griffiths-trained Royal Crown ($3.80) who is coming off a last-start win in the Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield.