The 2002 Lee Steere Classic propelled Early Express to Horse of the Year honours and trainer Peter Giadresco is hoping Waterman’s Bay can also carve out a top career in Western Australia.

Waterman’s Bay powered home to win the LR Placid Ark Stakes at Ascot on Saturday and Giadresco will set him for the G3 Lee Steere Classic on December 10.

Raced by owner-breeders John and Sharon Molloy, Waterman’s Bay unleashed a landslide finish to bury the odds-on favourite Night War at Ascot.  “We have a very high opinion of him,” Giadresco said.  “He’s now won three from five up to 1200m and he will go further.”

Waterman’s Bay (3g Eternity Range – Parisian Princess by Ron Bon) is the second stakes winner this month for his sire following Rocky Range who scored an upset in the LR Ascot Gold Cup on November 5.

Eternity Range (Majestic Light) is from a half-sister to champion sire Miswaki (Mr. Prospector) and was a stakes winner at Saint-Cloud and Santa Anita.

He retired to stud in Queensland before transferred to WA leader Mungrup Stud in 2002.  He is now based with Gasgoyne pastoralist and horseman Don Hammarquist who stands him for a $1,100 service fee.

Hammarquist trained Eternity Range gelding Sunrange to a Listed victory in the 2010 Kalgoorlie Gold Cup.

Waterman’s Bay’s dam Parisian Princess won six races in Perth for the Molloys and she was also third in the 1997 Placid Ark Stakes.  The mare foaled a colt by Mungrup Stud sire Danehill Express in August.

Giadresco kick-started his training career when Early Express scored a four length victory in the 2002 Lee-Steere Classic.  He went on to win 7 races and $846,000 topped by a Group 1 victory in the 2005 Kingston Town Stakes.