Gai Waterhouse | Gai Waterhouse News 63340 Playing By The Rules

Emma Reeves aids us with programming and identifies who she thinks is the best placed horse each weekend.

Steel Strike, Saturday 1st August, Rosehill, Race 7:

Owners have different objectives when it comes to racing, and once it became clear Steel Strike wasn't destined for a stallion career, it created an opportunity for a new ownership group to become involved. We were thrilled to welcome Darby Racing, who share our belief that he's a horse capable of providing plenty of fun at midweek and Saturday Benchmark level.

Steel Strike is a lightly raced city winning four year old who we believe still has plenty to offer at midweek and Saturday Benchmark level. He's a remarkably consistent gelding, finishing in the top three in six of his nine starts. He resumed with his customary honest performance, finishing third and beaten less than two lengths. While he rises slightly in grade here, he drops in the weights, gets onto a more suitable expansive track and steps up to a distance that should suit him at this stage of his preparation. Although he's yet to win at this level, he has already been placed, suggesting a Saturday metropolitan victory is well within reach.

Hopefully this group's faith is rewarded, but regardless of the result, I'm confident this genuine gelding will give everything he has and the owners will enjoy the ride.