Fast Clip booked his place into the field for one of Australia’s biggest and most important races with a fighting win in yesterday’s Group Three Doncaster Mile Prelude at Randwick.

On the speed throughout, the classy four-year-old was headed in the straight, but under the urgings of Tommy Berry, came back to win impressively.

“What a wonderful way to finish the day,” trainer Gai Waterhouse beamed after her third stakes win of the day.

“Didn’t Tommy ride if absolutely brilliantly – he jumped the barriers, he took control of the race right from the start.”

“It was almost over from the start.”

Berry was equally as complimentary on Waterhouse after the victory.

“I’ve got to thank Gai, she has got this horse perfect here today,” he said after unsaddling.

“It was his last chance to get into the Doncaster and he is going very well, it was a great, courageous win.”

“The key today was to get him to run the mile so we wanted him to get a nice easy time in front.”

“This horse is tough, a typical Gai Waterhouse warhorse!”

At the post Fast Clip held a head margin over Victorian visitor Speediness, while Alma’s Fury was another length and a quarter back in third place.

Outside of the placegetters, Happy Trails, a graduate of the Adelaide Yearling Sale, stormed home for fourth place for Paul Beshara and Christian Reith.

A $180,000 purchase by Waterhouse from the Turangga Farm draft at the 2009 Magic Million Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Fast Clip is now the winner of six of his 18 starts and his earnings have raced past $455,000.

One of four stakes winners by former stakes winning Magic Millions graduate Snippetson, Fast Clip is one of four winners for his dam, the Honour and Glory mare Hint of Glory.

Placed in Sydney at two, Hint of Glory is a daughter of the grand producer Suggestive and is thus a half sister to stakes winners Sky Cuddle, Highly Recommended and Sky Love and the group placed sprinter Undeniably.

Winner: Fast Clip
Breeding: Snippetson-Hint of Glory (Honour and Glory)
Sold for: $180,000
Sale: 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Turangga Farm (As Agent)
Buyer: Gai Waterhouse
Earnings: $455,280
Owner(s): Miss K Waterhouse, R Visalli, T & Mrs P Lanham, L Henderson, J & Mrs V Heriot, R Herron, P Chambers & Greenwich Stud P/L Synd (Mgrs: G & Mrs L Perry)
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse (Randwick)