Bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse won plenty on star Queensland filly Houtzen at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Calcutta but is keen to take a set against her climbing The Everest.
While many were prepared to risk Houtzen from the outside barrier in the Magic Millions in January, Waterhouse won on the race when he bought her to run for him at the Calcutta and did not lay her as a bookmaker.
The respected form analyst, who has been a guest bookmaker at many feature meetings around Australia in the last few years, was granted a stand at the Magic Millions meeting.
Houtzen led all the way in the Magic Millions and her only defeat from five starts is when she ran fifth in the Golden Slipper on an unsuitable heavy track.
However bookie and racing identity Waterhouse says is keen to take on Houtzen on when she tackles the big boys at weight-for-age this spring.
Houtzen resumes as $2.70 favourite in the WFA Group II McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday as she heads towards her aim of next month's The Everest where CrownBet has her a $13 chance.
"I am naturally suspicious of two-year-old fillies returning at three and trying to become weight-for-age stars," Waterhouse told Racenet.
"It is very hard for fillies to make the necessary improvement from their two-year-old days to be outstanding weight-for-age horses.
"I am generally always very keen to take on three-year-old fillies against older horses and that will be the case with Houtzen."
Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign is in the same boat as Houtzen as the Sydney filly attempts to scale The Everest as she returns from a successful two-year-old season.
There are exceptions but these days the elite fillies generally chase the big money in their own grade when they return in their three-year-old seasons.
Waterhouse doesn't doubt Houtzen has huge talent but just doubts whether she can reproduce her dynamic two-year-old form against older horses this spring.
"I'm certainly not knocking the horse, I bought her at the Magic Millions Calcutta as I recognised she had the best time and sectionals of any horse in the race," Waterhouse said.
"I was also of the oddball view that the wide barrier was actually a bonus for her as it would keep her out of trouble.
"There is no doubting her ability but I just think she will probably be up against it in very good company this spring."
