A delayed Golden Slipper has come with a bonus for Tulloch Lodge filly Swift Witness as trainer Gai Waterhouse tries to build on her record seven wins in the $3.5 million race.
One of five fillies taking on the colts in the world's richest race for juveniles, Swift Witness has thrived on the training track in the week since the Golden Slipper was postponed because of chaotic weather in Sydney.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott said last year's Golden Slipper-winning stable had been able to add to Swift Witness' workload and she had responded in kind.
"I think (the extra week) has probably benefitted her," Bott said.
"Obviously she was first-up there in the Reisling Stakes so it was only a relatively quick turnaround there for her.
"We've had that extra week and been able to do a little bit more work with her and she certainly hasn't taken any harm from it."
Waterhouse is chasing her eighth Golden Slipper success and her second since joining forces with Bott in a training partnership.
They teamed up with Winx's jockey Hugh Bowman to win the 2020 edition with Farnan who never appeared in danger of defeat as the race favourite.
Swift Witness is one of the outsiders on Saturday but as expectation grows the race will be run on an improving Rosehill surface, so does Bott's confidence in the youngster.
"Her best win to date was on a soft track when she raced at the Gold Coast, prior to that her first start at Wyong was a soft track," Bott said.
"They weren't terribly heavy those conditions but she got through it well so if we see it fall into those ranges we'd be more confident."
Rosehill was rated in the second heaviest category on Thursday but racecourse manager Shaun Patterson has every reason to believe the Waterhouse stable will get its wish.
"With the forecast we are very optimistic we will be racing on a soft track on Saturday," he said.
"There's plenty of sunshine, a nice breeze around and we can't ask for anything else."
Profiteer remains favourite to land Bowman another Slipper win as the box-office jockey moves towards 100 career Group One victories.
The Victorian colt holds a market edge over the Sydney-trained Stay Inside with Four Moves Ahead on the third tier of betting and rated the best chance for a fillies' win.
