Draw will not bother wonder filly Water Lou

Water Lou (Sweet Lou) wasn’t blessed with a barrier draw on Friday night in the $50,000 Daintys Daughter Classic, but harness racing trainer Mike Reed isn’t too phased, stating “I still think she can win, she’s the best horse in the race, she drew nine when she beat the boys.

“On Saturday morning when Shannon (Suvaljko) drove her at track work, he said they don’t work any better than that.” Reed said.

Cementing her favouritism for 3YO WA Filly Of The Year with an impressive racing record, Winning 12 of her last 13 starts, with a lifetime record of 21 wins and 2 placings from just 26 starts and over $420,000 in stakes, Water Lou continues to impress Reed.

“I’ve never had a filly to be as tough as her, after he races she just comes homes and drinks and eats, she’s thriving, she’s just got a great constitution for a three-year-old filly, that’s for sure.”

Water Lou drew the widest barrier on the front line in Friday night’s feature, but Reed is leaving tactics up to driver Shannon Suvaljko, with Reed making mention that she’s a tough filly and can handle the work if she needs to.

“She’s got gate speed, but it all depends on if she’s up on the steel we may come out and try and slot in somewhere, but I’ll leave that up to Shannon and see how she feels going up to the gate.”

After Friday night’s Classic, the camp will set their sights on the WA Oaks in a fortnights time, with Reed assessing after this weeks run whether he will race her next week or give her the two weeks between races.

“If she goes good in the Oaks, I may start her in the Derby, we will decide after the Oaks.”

Other stable fancy Ragazzo Mach has resumed work after a set back saw the talented horse head back to the paddock., but by all reports, we could see him back at the track in as little as six weeks.

“He’s had about four hopple runs,

“All looks good, touch wood, everything good, thank god.”

Kim Prentice has drawn barrier one and two in the Daintys Daughter Classic on Friday night, and with Soho Honey Rider expected to lead from the pole, Prentice wouldn’t be completely surprised if he takes home the Group 3.

“If we’re ever going to beat Water Lou, it will be Friday night.”

With both Soho Honey Rider and Soho Vesper Lind arriving in WA at the same time, Vesper Lind has won two in a row for the stable, including a first up victory in a three-year-old metropolitan race back on the 23rd of August, but it’s Soho Honey Rider that has ‘blossomed’ according to Prentice.

“She came over here as the better horse, but she’s really blossomed,

“When we first started working them together she was quite obviously the better horse, but the other one’s (Soho Vesper Lind) most probably had the better draws and had that little bit more luck in running.”

Soho Honey Rider took out the Gr2 $100,000 Nutrien Equine Gold Bracelet in March this year, with stablemate Soho Vesper Lind finishing in third place.

The 3YO Daintys Daughter Classic is race 5 on the program and gets underway at 7.40pm WST.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Ashleigh Paikos, for RWWA