2014 Australian Derby-bound Pheidon repersents Gai Waterhouse in the Tulloch Stakes this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

Gai Waterhouse may be hoping for the big one in Sydney this Saturday with a Golden Slipper upset, but she’s a better chance of taking out the day’s Group 2 with Pheidon heading the Tulloch Stakes 2014 nominations.

The five-time Golden Slipper winning trainer has high hopes for Skyline Stakes winner Valentia to beat home the odds-on favourite Earthquake in the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) on Saturday, but the bookies say he’s a $31 roughie to do so.

Punters won’t find those kind of prices on Waterhouse’s $175,000 Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) hopeful though, Al Maher three-year-old Pheidon a top chance in the set weights showdown.

The gelding is one of 19 Tulloch Stakes nominees, and one of two for Waterhouse along with Order Of The Sun.

Pheidon is after their second on the trot, the 2014 Australian Derby hopeful looking to return to Rosehill with a win after taking out the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley by two lengths on March 14.

Order Of The Sun meanwhile drops back in class here after two failed Group 1 assignments.

Their first was a fifth to Boban in the Chipping Norton before their disappointing 13^th when beaten 13 lengths by Criterion in last Saturday’s Rosehill Guineas over this track and distance in the wet.

Also a chance for the short seven day back-up via the Rosehill Guineas are fellow Tulloch Stakes nominees Savvy Nature (4^th) for John O’Shea who is at $18 to win the $1.5 million Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick Saturday week and Kiwi visitor Show The World (10^th).

Along with Pheidon there are three other last start winners nominated for the Tulloch with Singing Flame, Sir Laszlo and the Peter Snowden-trained Street Cry colt Shikra after their third on the trot.

Other more notable hopes then include Murray Baker’s Group 1 winner in NZ Atlante coming off a Randwick Guineas sixth, the Anthony Cummings-trained Best Case who ran fourth in the Phar Lap here last start, John Sargent’s Mountain View and Group 2 Autumn Classic winner Vilanova for Chris Waller looking to improve on their Alister Clark sixth.

See below for the full Tulloch Stakes 2014 nominations, the final field due out on Wednesday.

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2014 Tulloch Stakes Nominations

Rosehill Gardens – 05/04/2014