Stephen Baster aboard Setsuna (Image: Racing Photos)
The stellar spring of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott rolled on at The Valley on Saturday when juvenile filly Setsuna kicked off proceedings with a strong win in the $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m).
Having been narrowly defeated in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) in Sydney on debut, the daughter of Choisir atoned in style, sprinting hard to get the better of Flemington colt Bionics and Lindsay Park's Grand Challenge.
The win was the fourth from the stable's past six Melbourne runners - they landed a treble at Caulfield last Saturday with Our Crown Mistress, Pinot and Global Glamour - and Waterhouse said the success was solely down to hard work.
"Nose to the grindstone, nothing more," Waterhouse said.
"I've been working hard and I've only got three things now to distract me in life - my horses, my husband and my grandkids."
Waterhouse said despite her diminutive frame, Setsuna had impressed her since her early days in training and hinted that the Darby Racing-owned filly could now be prepared for a tilt at the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill later in the season.
"We brought down (to Melbourne) what we thought were our best, we've still got our others in Sydney, but we're hoping to produce another one or two in the next little bit," she said.
"I think she's got a very bright future."
Earlier on Saturday, the Australian Racing Hall of Fame legend and Emirates Melbourne Cup-winning trainer was announced as an official VRC ambassador for the upcoming Melbourne Cup Carnival.
WATCH: Setsuna's win