The always honest Gai Waterhouse-trained mare Sweet Idea was given a sweet ride by Tommy Berry up front in today’s Tristarc Stakes 2014 and got the bikkies saluting for the punters ahead of her Myer Classic bid next month.

Tristarc Stakes winner Sweet Idea is onto the 2014 Myer Classic in Flemington. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

There were 10 mares in the mix for this year’s edition of the $200,000 Group 2 Schweppes Tristarc Stakes (1400m) on Caulfield Cup Day, an ideal lead-up race for those heading towards the $500,000 Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.

Last spring the Chris Waller-trained Red Tracer completed the Tristarc Stakes – Myer Classic double and this year Waterhouse’s Snitzel four-year-old Sweet Idea will look to do the same on November 1.

She’s been tracking nicely all season winning the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) first-up before a Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) second to Dissident and then a fourth last time out over the same track and distance in the Group 2 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Trying her heart out to win a Group 1, Sweet Idea enjoyed a drop back in class today then and was the best of her kind in the Tristarc controlling the race after Berry got her to the front early driving through the field

There were no other genuine challengers for the front spot and Sweet Idea ($3.30) looked more than comfortable dictating the pace and getting the run she wanted as leader.

On the straight she was all out and looked to be fading as the back markers made their move, but she had enough in the tank to stride home one length clear of recent How Now Stakes winner Girl Guide ($6.50) with the Waller-trained Catkins ($4) given every chance before finishing third.

“She was just too good,” Berry said after the win.

“She struggled a little bit around the corner but she’s tough.

“Gai said “you ride her like the best horse in the race and you’ll win it” and she was right.”

Failing to go back-to-back in the Tristarc Stakes for Waller, Catkins suffered her second loss on the trot after going down as the odds-on favourite to Arabian Gold in the Group 3 Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill last time out.

Post-win Waterhouse was full of praise for her winner Sweet Idea who she will now step up to the mile for the first time in the Myer Classic 2014.

“She’s just joyous,” Waterhouse said.

“And she was ridden today the way she likes it.

“She was dominant and she showed the others ‘you can catch me if you can’.

“She goes onto the Myer (Classic) at Flemington and she’s only against her own sex.”

Sweet Idea was a $200,000 purchase for connections and today’s Tristarc Stakes result boosted her prize money earned to over $2 million.

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2014 Tristarc Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Caulfield Race 6 – 18/10/2014