Driver Gary Whitaker has issued a firm and blunt statement heading into Saturday night's Group 1 $100,000 RQIS 2YO Fillies Final at Albion Park.
Whitaker will partner impressive filly Lady White Water for trainer Bill Crosby, and punters will be less perplexed when analysing the form after the comments made by the in-form reinsman.
“We're not here to make up numbers. We can win this final.” Whitaker said.
Lady White Water has not raced since winning the Group 1 $100,000 Garrards Nursery Pace Final at Albion Park on May 19 defeating Don't Break My Ark and Victree Bonita.
Her ability is obvious but her lack of match fitness is the concern but Whitaker is confident the filly will deliver on race night despite some recent setbacks.
“She ended up contracting a little virus after her big win which kept her out of action for a few weeks but she shook that off pretty quickly.
Then she decided to try her hand at fence jumping and she failed miserably at that but again, it left her out of action for a couple of weeks.
Bill is happy with her and that's all I need to know. Bill has a proven record in these big races and I'm confident she'll be ready to race.”
The recent setbacks has made it a race against time and connections couldn't squeeze in a public trial into her preparation, her private workout last Sunday morning was the go ahead for this weekend's feature.
“It was touch and go for a while but her work last weekend confirmed that she's ready to go, she's never been a super track worker and she normally steps it up a gear on race night.
We knew what we were up against going into this final and that gave us confidence, we know she's good enough to beat them again.
We've drawn much better in comparison to the Nursery Pace Final so that's another plus. Her last start victory when you consider what she did was fantastic, her form reads very well.”
Meanwhile, stablemate and star three-year-old filly Shez No Fake will head to Redcliffe next week for the $20,000 Redcliffe Oaks after her strong victory on Tuesday afternoon at Albion Park.
The Art Major filly has returned to form recording back to back victories at Albion Park in fast time over the past fortnight and the dual Group One winning filly has pleased connections.
“Her win on Tuesday was one of her best and she again proved her class, the time was solid and she proved she was in for the fight.
We'll head to the Redcliffe Oaks next week, she's proven at that track and she'll prove very hard to beat in that event. Her season has been punctured with little niggling issues but she looks like she will end it on a high.” Whitaker said.
Shez No Fake has won both the 2YO and 3YO divisions of the RQIS Finals.
RACING Queensland web news by Chris Barsby
Photo by Corey Pearce
