That is why jockey Josh Parr was delighted to pick up the ride on Dulcify Quality-winner Hampton Court in Saturday's Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick.

"When you get asked to ride in a group 1 for Gai, it's great, but to be on a last start winner gives you a bit more confidence," Parr said. "These are the races everyone is striving to win and they can make a big difference to your career, so to be on a solid chance is important."

Parr's only group 1 victory came in 2010, on Skilled in the Champagne Stakes, and he has been close on a couple of occasions since.

"If you win a group 1, more opportunities come your way, so you want to make the most of a ride like this," Parr said. "He is definitely up to the class and watching the last 200 metres of his win last Saturday, the 2000 metres will really suit him."

Parr has been riding trackwork regularly for Waterhouse and will become the fifth jockey for the three-year-old in five runs this preparation. He follows a great ride from Joao Moreira in the Dulcify, where the Hong Kong star got to work a long way from home.

"He was at him at the 600 metres and the horse just kept coming and finding something. The best part of his win was the last 200 metres, as I said, and he got away from them on the line," Parr said. "The way Joao rode him made sure he stayed on the bit and kept his mind on the job and he got it done.

"When he is on the bit and travelling is when he runs his best races, but you have to keep him interested, if that makes sense. I have ridden him a bit in trackwork and he has the motor of a good one."

Hampton is on the fourth line of betting for the Spring Champion at $13 in a race dominated by Flight Stakes-winner First Seal and unbeaten colt Sweynesse.

The early betting suggests the filly might have the edge on her male rivals on Saturday. First Seal opened a $2 favourite after acceptances with Ladbrokes but was quickly backed into $1.85.

The money for her meant Sweynesse, which has won the Spring and Gloaming Stakes since beating First Seal first-up, got out from $3 to $3.60, while Ming Dynasty Quality-winner Panzer Division is at $7.

Waterhouse's other runner, Coolmore-owned Valentia, was on the drift from $13 to $15 in the first 24 hours of betting.