Penrith Panthers group CEO Brian Fletcher likes to joke that if his horse Waterford was as reliable as the four-time NRL premiers, “he would have won $4 million in prizemoney by now”.
Unlike the Panthers, Waterford has made a habit of breaking the hearts of favourite backers. But he gets his best chance yet to atone in Tuesday’s $750,000 Little Dance.
Fletcher, the man who signs the cheques at the Panthers, admitted he had lost the trust of senior Penrith stars Isaah Yeo and Liam Martin after tipping them Waterford for no return too many times.
Waterford has been rolled as top pick no fewer than six times, including a race at the start of last year when defeated by eventual Everest winner Think About It.
“He’s always having bad luck – if Penrith had as much bad luck, we would have lost five grand finals, not won four of them,” Fletcher said. “But Tuesday is his day. He will win a decent race. When, I don’t know? But I’m hoping it is Melbourne Cup Day.
“He’s been frustrating, but you know before he races he will always get back and need luck. He’s drawn well on Tuesday, and to be fair, it’s probably one of the weakest races he’s been in for a while.
‘Tuesday is his day’: Brian Fletcher is bullish about Waterford in the Little Dance.Credit: Getty
“I know a few of the Penrith boys are sick of me tipping Waterford to them because he’s been so unlucky. They never go overboard, but I’m sure they’ll have a few dollars each way on him again.”
Fletcher, who worked at the Hawkesbury Race Club for nearly 30 years before taking the reins at the Panthers, has enjoyed success as an owner with the likes of Scallopini – a winner of $1.5m in prizemoney – and Bold Chief, which won plenty of good races for John Hawkes.
Waterford resumed with an eye-catching third behind Here To Shock and Gringotts, the two favourites for the Big Dance.
Jockey Tommy Berry has been in the saddle for four of the gelding’s five career wins, and said he was a good chance to make it six on Tuesday.
“He’s the class horse in the field, and the fact he has to carry 62kg shows that,” Berry said. “It was a beautiful first-up run behind the two favourites in the Big Dance, and that has to be the best form going into this race.
“He’s a horse that always improves the further he gets into his preparation. He’s always needed a good draw so he can be handy in the run, which he has on Tuesday, otherwise he gets too far out of the ground.
“I’ve won on him a few times, and should have won the Scone Cup earlier this year [when second]. He has a great turn of foot, he just needs things to go his way – horses that get back can find bad luck, and that’s what has happened to him a few times.”
