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By Ray Hickson

Legendary trainer Gai Waterhouse expects Bellazaine to confirm her place in the Golden Slipper with another win at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse (Pic: Grant Guy).

The filly sits 19th in the current order of entry for the $5 million classic, run on March 22, so a second in the Group 2 $300,000 TAB Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) is likely enough to see her into the field but Waterhouse is gunning for the exemption.

If she does that, Waterhouse said on SEN she’ll take her place in the Slipper as one of the leading chances having accounted for dominant Silver Slipper winner Beiwacht when she resumed three weeks ago.

“She’ll kick their brains in that’s what she’ll do,’’ Waterhouse said.

“She’s too damn good for them. The form has been proven by last Saturday, she’s a very, very, good filly and she’ll fight the finish out in the Golden Slipper.

“She rolls up her sleeves and gets on with the job, she’s very professional. She’s big and she’s strong, she’s very much like Ha Ha who won the Golden Slipper.”

Ha Ha led in a Slipper trifecta for Waterhouse back in 2001, the first of three fillies she has prepared to win the race with Overreach (2013) and Lady Of Camelot last year in partnership with Adrian Bott.

Bellazaine, $4.20 with TAB on Thursday, has drawn barrier three in the Sweet Embrace with Tim Clark back in the saddle.

Meanwhile, there’s no sense of panic in the Waterhouse/Bott camp about North England who missed last week’s Silver Slipper after the stable wasn’t happy with his blood report.

The colt is third in the order of entry and it’s likely he’ll appear in the Todman Stakes next weekend but Waterhouse said their in an enviable position given his win in the Golden Gift back in November.

“He’s under no pressure, that’s the big thing in his favour,’’ she said.

“A lot of these two-year-olds are trying to get into the Slipper by hook or by crook and they never win that way.”

Tulloch Lodge won the Group 1 $750,000 The Chase Surround Stakes (1400m) last year with Tropical Squall and have two representatives in 2025 but Racing’s First Lady concedes the favourite Lady Shenandoah will be tough to beat.

That said she feels Lady Of Camelot, who was runner-up to the favourite in the Light Fingers two weeks ago, is going to provide some healthy competition.

The reigning Golden Slipper winner hasn’t won since that race but she's proven her toughness by running fourth in the TAB Everest and third in the Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring.

“We’ve taken the blinkers off her because it’s 1400m,’’ Waterhouse said.

“She’s a very good filly and I don’t think anyone should underestimate how good she is.

“She did all the running the other day, the other very good filly Lady Shenandoah was able to take the sit and just pounce on her at the end. But it’s a different run race over the seven furlongs.”

Bellazaine wins the Lonhro Plate on February 8

Stablemate Dominetta isn’t quite as accomplished at the top level with her only Group 1 appearance a midfield finish in the Thousand Guineas before a spell.

However, Waterhouse said she has her share of ability and is capable of running a cheeky race first-up.

“She’s a very good filly but she’s up against some of the big heavies, I don’t know if she can topple the other two we spoke of but punters should have something on her each-way,’’ she said.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Randwick