We Are One... - Gai Waterhouse

Transcription

GAI’S GAZETTE
12th Edition / AUGUST 2014
We Are One...
EDITOR-IN-CHIEf
Lea Stracey
CONTRIBUTORS
Gai Waterhouse
Rob Waterhouse
Zeb Armstrong
Lea Stracey
Madison Whant
Emma Pearce
Petrea Vela
Graphic design & layout
Madison Whant
[email protected]
chief photographer
Bradley Photographers
www.bradleyphotos.com.au
Editorial Photographer
Need for Steed Aus.
www.needforsteed.com.au
Advertisers
Trivettes Aston Martin
Goffs London
Laurneuk Stud
Three Bridges Thoroughbreds
Round Table Racing
Milly Blooms
Bradley Photographers
Eucallea Equine
Advertising Manager
Ric Chapman
[email protected]
PrINTERS
Graphic Impressions
4
www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au
GAI’S
GAZETTE
Y
es, with this, our twelfth edition of
Gai’s Gazette, we proudly herald
the milestone of our first birthday.
Though it didn’t occur to us at the
time, there is a happy symmetry in the fact
that our birthday month will always be the
birthday month of the Horse.
It is hard to believe that a year has passed
and that it was twelve months ago that Gai
came up with the idea of a monthly “newsletter” for you, her owners. The aim of Gai’s
Gazette was to communicate with you, to inform you, to engage with you as the extended
family of Gai Waterhouse Racing. In short, to
bring you all up to date with the comings and
goings of the personalities and the horses that
work together to make the business of Tulloch Lodge.
August is really the month of the Horse. I like to think of this month as the calm
before the storm as it is the month that heralds the coming of the excitement of the
Spring Carnival. As January heralds the beginning of a new year in the human world,
in the horse world, August heralds the beginning of a new year for the thoroughbred.
In the southern hemisphere, the first of August has been nominated as the thoroughbred
horses’ birthday. The reason for this is that historically, the weather at the beginning
of September starts to warm up, naturally prompting the mares to “ come into season”
due to the presence of extended daylight. Come September, the feed is plentiful which
means while grazing, the mares can produce plenty of nutricious milk which is what
nature intended. Hence matings occur in September and the foals are born eleven
months later in August. During the last week in August many Horse Studs present their
stallions for inspection so that breeeders and interested parties can inspect the stallions
to decide on the appropriate mating for their mares.
Zeb has provided us with his interesting perspectives on Gai’s achievements with her
horses this month, as well as some forecasts on the Tulloch Lodge two-year-olds that
we will see in the Spring and also the exciting stayers Gai has competing for the riches
of the Sydney and Melbourne Spring Carnivals. Emma continues her article on the
yearling purchases that have caught her eye and Bruce Slade of Round Table Racing
continues to delight us with his inciteful comments on the purchase of yearlings at this
time of the year.
Our production team would like to thank you all sincerely for your continuing
warm reception of our magazine. We will endeavour to continue to bring you not only
information of the racing team at GWR, but also stories of interesting horses and people
around us in the thoroughbred racing industry.
Remember, Gai’s Gazette – Great stories, great information and a great read!
So, sit back and enjoy this, our first birthday edition.
Happy Birthday to us all
Lea Stracey
Editor-in-Chief
Contents
Sebring Page 32
Page 6 Liberation: Performance of the Month... by Zeb Armstrong
Page 7
Spring Youngsters... by Zeb
Armstrong
Pages 8 - 9 From the Pen of the Lady Trainer
Pages 10 - 13 It’s all About Timing... by Bruce Slade
Pages 14 - 15 We Can’t Speak Highly Enough about Not a Single Doubt x Woodie
Page 36
ARQANA... by Zeb Armstrong and
Su-Ann Khaw
Pages 16 - 17 Theseo and Back with Ron Nathans... Interview by Zeb Armstrong
Page 18 The Darwin Cup... by Zeb Armstrong
Page 19 Training in Paradise... by Joe Callan
Pages 20 - 21 Saluting the Stayers... by Zeb
Armstrong
Pages 24 - 25 An Interview with NZ Owner Hugh Chapman... by Zeb Armstrong
Pages 26 - 27 More Thinking Needed... by Rob
Waterhouse
Pages 28 - 29 Budding Young Apprentice Winona Costin... Interview by Madison Whant
Page 30 News from Across the Tasman... by Petrea Vela
Pages 31 - 34 Gai’s Group 1 Glory What An
Achievement... by Zeb Armstrong
Page 35 Track Snaps... By Amanda Wood
Pages 36 - 37 No Doubt About it... by Emma Pearce
Pages 38 - 39 Recent Winners
Page 40 And from You...
Liberation Page 6
5
Performance of the Month
Photo by Bradley Photography
LIBERATION
(Fastnet Rock x Liberty Rose)
By Zeb Armstrong
S
ometimes things just go as
planned. Liberation (Fastnet Rock
x Liberty Rose) had two starts
during his first preparation without
much success, but he was not getting
enough oxygen into his lungs and therefore
was not producing his best. He was given
a respiratory operation and a nice long
spell in preparation for a hopeful spring
campaign. When the colt came back in, he
made an immediate impact and he was not
going a day without receiving a ‘best of the
morning’ call from one of the trackwork
hoops. Was he back bigger and better? The
only way to know for sure was to trial him
in a speedy 740m trial. The result… an
effortless five lengths trial victory.
From here everyone at the stable was getting pretty excited about the son of Fastnet
Rock and half-brother to the very smart
Liberty’s Choice. After his trial, Liberation
continued to work very well and suddenly the riders were saying ‘will win’ and
‘feeling fantastic’ rather than simply listing
him as their best on any given morning. We
now arrive at Rosehill on 19 July 2014 and
Liberation was in the first race, a handicap
for two-year-olds over 1200m. The colt
was not really wanted in the betting drifting
from $6.50 to $7.20 and this was despite his
6
trial win that certainly was not a secret.
Tim Clark bounced Liberation out of barrier three and this was really the only thing
the Group 1 winning jockey had to do.
Liberation did the rest. The colt found the
lead, travelled perfectly, maintained his momentum, cornered well and extended to the
line. No other horse in the race really had a
chance and the final winning margin of 2.3
lengths could have been so much more. Not
”The colt found the
lead, travelled perfectly,
maintained his momentum, cornered well and
extended to the line.
No other horse in the
race really had a chance
[with] the final winning
margin of 2.3 lengths ...”
only did the colt win with authority but he
knocked almost half a second off champion
Thorn Park’s class record. This record had
stood for almost twelve years. Liberation’s
time of 1.09.84 was not too far from All
Our Mob’s long standing course record.
Generally two-year-olds when carrying relative weights (between 54kg – 58kg) can’t
run as fast as older horses. They are not as
experienced, not as big or strong and simply
can’t run the times. Therefore, a two-yearold is almost never going to hold a course
record unless they win an open age race
and have 45kg – 48kg but that hardly ever
happens anymore. This is why we put so
much emphasis on class records in regards
to two-year-olds. Liberation has now run
the 1200m at Rosehill faster than any other
two-year-old horse in this class of race
since the introduction of the metric system.
Liberation’s time of 1.09.84 is also quicker
than most of the last ten Golden Slippers
which is run over the same track and trip.
Quite a feather in the cap of a horse having
just its third start.
Congratulations to all the owners of this
colt. He is going from strength to strength
at the minute and his effortless first up win
hopefully might be a sign of things to come.
Well done also to Tim Clark on a perfectly
timed and perfectly balanced ride. Tim rated the colt as well as possible and allowed
him to show his best. It was a great win and
a real thrill to see a colt of this quality do
everything right after finally having enough
air in his lungs. ▣
Now is the Time
If you haven’t purchased your share in a prospective 2015 Golden Slipper winner,
now is a very good time to choose your yearling champion as Zeb forecasts below
By Zeb Armstrong
W
“At the minute we know
what level of ability
most of the older horses
have. They can of course
improve and they can
put in career best performances, but for the
most part, the spring
horses are pretty
exposed ...”
always high, one could only have dreamt
about what the son of Lonhro went on to
accomplish. How many champions are
currently at Tulloch Lodge waiting to be
named? Waiting to jumpout for the first
time? Waiting for their next 600m gallop?
At the minute we know what level of
ability most of the older horses have. They
can of course improve and they can put in
career best performances, but for the most
part, the spring horses are pretty exposed.
But with the babies, while we have an idea
of the ones that are thoroughly enjoying
Photo by Need For Steed Aus.
hile most of the talk at this
time of year is about the
Spring and the Melbourne
Cup, it is also an exciting
time of year for the younger horses. As we
speak, the yearlings are about to turn two
and come September they will trial before
hopefully heading towards the Breeders’
Plate and the Gimcrack Stakes. There are
dozens of unnamed colts, geldings and
fillies currently at Tulloch Lodge and the
list of possibilities is endless. Black Caviar
walked into the Moody stable at Caulfield
and was just another nice looking filly.
When Pierro arrived at Tulloch Lodge he
was a striking colt, but while hopes are
Street Cry x Shashenka, Northern Meteor x Conquistar, Fastnet Rock x Temple of Peace
their work, and the ones that are flying in
the jumpouts, we are mostly waiting for trials and eventually for races to get a proper
guide. This is why it is so exciting. Some of
the greatest horses to ever set foot on Australian racetracks have started their lives
at Tulloch Lodge. The stable has a great
record of producing champions. Therefore
there could be any number of champions
just waiting to be exposed standing in their
stalls within the walls of Tulloch Lodge
right now. You just never know.
Gai currently has 109 horses that are
about to turn two that are nominated for the
2015 Golden Slipper. The Golden Slipper
takes place on 4 April 2015 and it remains
this year the richest race for two-year-olds
in the world. Gai has won five of the last
fourteen Golden Slippers in a record that
is unmatched almost in Australian racing
history. The Slipper is a race that Gai takes
great pride in winning and really targets every year. It also does not hurt that the race
is worth $3,500,000. That is one million
dollars more than the Caulfield Cup, and
$500,000 more than the Cox Plate. Put this
together with the fact that Gai’s record in
this race is only matched by her late father
T.J. Smith, one can see why the youngsters
in the stable create such excitement.
There are still plenty of youngsters available for purchase that are nominated for the
Golden Slipper, so it is not too late to have
a chance to be an owner of the 2015 Golden
Slipper winner. Gai’s record with young
horses speaks for itself and any potential
owners can rest assured that Gai wants to
win the Slipper just as much as they do! ▣
7
Sweet Idea // Photo by Need for Steed Aus.
From the Pen Of the
Lady Trainer
T
ime out. And I don’t mean the famous British publication that was
established in the late sixties. I
mean time off, and this is exactly
what I have been enjoying over the last few
weeks. After a small operation I was forced
into light duties (doctors orders).
Three months ago, Rob purchased a small
farm near Alpine in the Southern Highlands. If you draw a line between Mittagong
and Wollongong on the map below, we are
in there somewhere!
It is just the most beautiful farm. We purchased the property from Mitch and Rosie
8
and ironically, Mitch had gone to school
with our great mates bloodstock agent Johnny McKeever and his friend Peter Stanley
of New England Stud. It really is a small
world. It was not until we sat down for a
cup of tea that we all realised we shared the
same group of mates.
While relaxing at the hilltop farm, the
phone was never too far away. I speak with
my jockeys, the office, my foreman, my farrier and all manner of owners and different
people. TJ used to describe it as “seeing the
trees from the forest”, that is staying on top
of everything but watching from afar. Dad
made a point of heading overseas every
year to both take time off and learn from
different cultures and observe different
training methods. I think this certainly
contributed to his longevity and great
success. Dad was always prepared to learn
something new.
I feel that sometimes people don’t understand the rigours that come with being
a horse trainer. It does not matter if you are
training at Newmarket in England, Belmont
in the USA or Randwick in Australia, the
work never stops. Horses need exercise
every single day and owners deserve to be
informed as much as possible, especially
in this age of communication and social
media.
Neither the business nor the stable ever
closes. In Australia we race almost every
day and especially at the moment, horses
seem to be coming and going from the stable every other day. In quick succession, the
babies are in and out in preparation for their
juvenile season. By the time this magazine
goes to print the babies will be two-yearolds and fast be getting ready to race.
This time of year I find so exciting with the
babies because you just never know what’s
ahead. There might be multiple champions
standing in their stalls looking at you each
and every morning. Who knows how many
prospective Group 1 winners are in the
stable at the moment just waiting to turn
two? This year in particular they all look
remarkably big and strong. An Aussie twoyear-old at this time of year would look as
mature as a three-year-old you might see
racing at Ascot. The youngsters’ sheer size
and forwardness make the young aussie
sprinters formidable horses at a very early
stage.
At the other end of the spectrum there are
the older horses that are getting ready for
the Cups. These horses take much longer
and require a lot more work. Heading
towards the start of October they need
plenty of kilometres under their legs to be
competitive in the really big money races. It
really is an exciting time of the year.
What the time out has created in yours
truly is a renewed level of anticipation and
excitement. I simply cannot wait to get
back on the track to see for myself how
both the babies and the established horses
are tracking heading towards the Spring. I
can tell you right now, the entire team looks
to be flying. The ladies, including the likes
of Sweet Idea (Snitzel x Flidais), Queenstown (Stratum x Regal Heights), Twirl
(Lohnro x Cirque du Soleil), Nayeli (More
“Three months ago,
Rob purchased a small
farm near Alpine in the
Southern Highlands. If
you draw a line between
Mittagong and Wollongong on the map below,
we are in there somewhere!”
Than Ready x Wasimah) and Forever
Loved (High Chaparral x Diamond Like)
are looking particularly good at the minute.
They all have very different targets, but
Photo by Need for Steed Aus.
Forever Loved and Diamond Drille in a recent Exhibition Gallop
they are tracking along brilliantly as I write.
Then there are the colts – Valentia (Fastnet
Rock x Smart Company), Liberation (
Fastnet Rock x Liberty Rose), Wandjina
(Snitzel x La Banba) and Hampton Court
(Redoute’s Choice x Roses N’ Wine)
together with the Group 1 winning gelding
Almalad (Al Maher x Ilhaam). These boys
(just to name a few) will be three by the
time you read this and there is no better
time to be a fresh, classy and fast threeyear-old than in the Spring. I must not
forget the stayers, and again just to name
a few, The Offer (Montjeu x Valdara),
Greatwood (Manduro x Gaze), Bonfire
(Manduro x Night Frolic), Queenstown
(Stratum x Regal Heights) and Projectile
(Encosta de Lago x Patasi). All are getting
the miles under their belts and are looking
terrific at this early stage. I will soon be
back with a renewed bounce as you’ll see in
my horses. There may not be a better time
to be involved in racing than in the Spring
in Australia, and I can’t wait.
See you in the Winners’ Circle.
Gai xxx
9
It’s All About Timing
By Bruce Slade
W
ith spring just around the
corner, and the new season
upon us, the excitement
is beginning to build as
Round Table Racing’s first yearling purchases hit racing age. They are all officially
two-years-old as of 1 August.
August for a syndicator also marks the
eight month mark of our twelve month
retail year (our last third of the year). Like
any good business we buy enough horses
at the beginning of our year through the
various sales to service our clients’ right
through until December. This can be a fine
balancing act, especially in your first year
of business, but I am pleased to say that
we are exactly on target with twelve of our
eighteen yearlings purchases (two thirds)
now fully subscribed.
That leaves us with six yearlings to place
on the market for the first time in early August. I know from my experience as Gai’s
Bloodstock Manager from 2010-2013, and
working closely with Denise Martin during
that time, that we would often get asked
by people during the latter part of the year
questions like – Why has he/she not been
sold already? Do all the good ones sell
first?
In truth there can be a number of
advantages in buying your share/s
later in the year:
1. You have more information. The year-
lings offered by Round Table Racing after 1
August will all have started their third racing preparation at Tulloch Lodge by now.
The riders have had a good feel for them
and Gai has watched them closely as they
develop and settle into her routine.
2.You take on less risk. Round Table
Racing have carried these yearlings right
through to this stage.
3.You are closer to racing. Buying a share
post-August means you are buying a twoyear-old as opposed to a yearling and you
are that much closer to being at the races
with him/her.
There are a number of factors to consider
when determining when we place each
horse on the market including price, breeding, and future racing style/profile. Below I
run through the horses we will be offering
in the second half of 2014 and I give a
quick insight into their prospects:
Magic Millions January
Lot 99 Lonhro x Spectrolite (Stratum) filly
Purchase price: $160,000
Education: Completed two educational
preparations and returns for her first full
racing preparation in mid-August.
Notes: A high quality filly by Australia’s
record holding stallion Lonhro, from a
young stakes-winning Stratum mare.
Racing profile: Typical of her sire, she
will come into her own as an autumn twoyear-old and you can expect her to just keep
on improving aged three, four and beyond.
As she is slightly later maturing, we were
able to wait before she was placed on the
market.
The fact of the matter is this:
1. The final six horses placed on the market
10
Day 1 of riding for Lonhro x Spectrolite filly
have not been available for purchase up until now. We have not been able to promote
them either.
2. Each of our purchases were bought having had to fulfil the same criteria as each of
their counterparts. If they are not A-Grade, I
am not interested.
Off the top of my head Sebring, Almalad,
Divine Calling, Squamosa, Spurtonic, Laidback Larry and Queenstown were all sold
closer to the end of the year than the start.
It’s All About Timing cont...
Exceed and Excel x
Undercover filly
all year. An outstanding colt who turns
heads. He is by promising young sire Wanted from a good young winning mare who
hails from one hell of a Group 1 producing
family.
Racing profile: This colt is as classy as
they come. You can see his natural ability
taking him places in the autumn of his twoyear-old year, and then he will come into
his own in his Classic year. He already has
a big reputation and was offered towards
the end of the year as he is not as immediate as our other purchases.
Inglis Premier March
Lot 43 – Snitzel x Angel Smoke filly
Education: Completed an educational
preparation and returns for her first full
Notes: Stylish filly who was bought very
Lot 61 – Snitzel x Seriously (Zeditave) colt
Education: Began his third preparation
at Tulloch Lodge on 21 July and is being
aimed at the early two-year-old trials/races.
diate and I can imagine I will be pushing to
get people involved early as she is being set
for the Magic Millions two-year-old Classic
in January. She was not offered earlier as
we had another filly (Catwalk Kitty) by the
same sire and at the same price offered in
the first half of the year.
inexpensively. By the sire of the moment
from a young stakes-winning mare.
Racing profile: This filly has shown
genuine precocity as her breeding would
suggest. She will target the Inglis Bonus Race Series which may see her in
Melbourne during the upcoming spring.
Purchased in March, she is being offered
later as we had another Snitzel filly (Sweet
Redemption) at a similar price offered
earlier.
Notes: Smashing colt by the hottest young
sire in Australia and from a strong Group 1
performing two-year-old family.
Lot 510 – Wanted x Lady’s Wish
(Johar) colt
Racing profile: As his pedigree suggests,
Education: Begins his third racing preparation at Tulloch Lodge in early August.
Inglis Premier March – Lot 321 –
Lope De Vega x It’s Who Deanie colt
Notes: One of the stand-out colts we saw
Education: Completed an educational
this colt is all speed and precocity. I will
need to fill his ownership quickly as he
is an immediate type from which we will
probably see the best of in the autumn. He
was not offered earlier as we had another
colt (Triple Snitz) by the same sire and at
the same price offered in the first half of
the year.
Lot 157 – Exceed and Excel x Undercover (Covetous) filly
Education: Completed two educational
preparations and returns for her first full
lia’s king of precocity (Exceed and Excel)
from a sharp two-year-old family including
Slipper winner Polar Success.
Racing profile: This filly is rather imme
12
Snitzel x Seriously colt
Notes: A powerfully built filly by Austra-
preparation and returns for his first full
Notes: A man amongst the boys, this colt
was purchased for his pure athleticism and
strength. He is from the first crop of worldclass racehorse Lope De Vega from a mare
that only knows how to leave winners, four
from four in fact, and each has gone on to
win two races or more.
Racing profile: This big, strong colt is
very much in the mold of his sire who was
good enough to win as a two-year-old before winning the French 2000 Guineas and
French Derby in his three-year-old year. As
he will mature a little later than a few of our
others, he is being offered later.
As you can see, it could well be a case
of the ‘lucky last’. Please see our website
www.roundtableracing.com.au for more
details or call Bruce on +61 400 505 238
Then, just say yes. It is amazing where
that word can take you. ▣
Wanted x Lady’s Wish (right) loading the barriers at Randwick
Bra dley Photogra phe r s
The best way to commemorate your win
BP
Simply register your details
and start purchasing
online at:
www.bradleyphotos.com.au
Contact: Mark Bradley
02 4868 1433 • 02 4868 3794
13
We Can’t Speak Highly Enough
About ARQANA
Su-Ann Khaw and Zeb Armstrong take you to the famous ARQANA Sale (or Arc sale
as it is fondly known) in France
By Zeb Armstrong and Su-Ann Khaw
Longchamp congratulates
Arc Solemia
H
eld on the eve of one of the
most important races in the
world, ARQANA’s Arc Sale
on Saturday October 4, 2014 is
perfectly timed to find future champions, as
well as experience the world famous Qatar
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend.
Due to start after the racing is completed for the day at 6.30pm, just a couple of
kilometres from Longchamp racecourse at
Saint-Cloud near Paris, the auction offers a
fantastic opportunity to choose from a carefully selected range of horses in training,
mainly two and three-year-olds, sourced
predominantly from across France.
European horses have traditionally had
an excellent record in Hong Kong especially, and the likes of Group 1 winners Viva
Pataca, the richest prizemoney earner in
history and eight times a winner at the high-
14
est level, Xtension, Collection and Mighty
High as well as several others, have all
started their careers there before going on
to compete at the top. The Arc Sale contains
several horses that conform to the exportation criteria of Normal Permits and Normal
Replacement Permits for horses rated 80
and above, as well as Special Replacement
Permits for stakes placed horses rated 85
and above for two, three and four-year-olds.
Moreover, to help potential purchasers
to see and gain the best out of ARQANA’s
catalogue, its SmartCat (online virtual catalogue) provides a huge help when selecting
horses. Found on their website in the lead
up to and during the sale, it provides all the
horses’ performances on their individual
catalogue page, saving huge amounts of
time and research. Besides that, all lots are
presented with a complete veterinary file,
and for those that are of interest, ARQANA
can also tailor-make them to conform to the
Hong Kong Jockey Club requirements for
purchasers.
Su-Ann on the ARQANA’s Arc Sale…
Multiple Stakes winner and Group 1
Turnbull Stakes runner up Puissance de
Lune was purchased by Robert Roulston
at the 2011 Arc sale for 90,000 Euros.
The grey entire by Sharmadal has earned
$752,600 in prizemoney and has a stud
career ahead of him, perhaps after one more
spring preparation. Puissance de Lune has
won seven races in Australia by a combined twenty three lengths which equates
to an average winning margin of over three
lengths. Who will ever forget his eight
length romp in the 2013 Bendigo Cup? Or
his exhibition gallop like win in the 2013
Queen Elizabeth at Flemington?
Longchamp
Aga Khan bred Lidari was purchased
for 90,000 Euros at the 2012 Arc sale by
Hubie de Burgh for OTI Racing. The son
of Acclamation has earned $250,000 since
racing in Australia and won the 2014 Group
2 Blamey Stakes at Flemington. The fiveyear-old entire as well as being a Group
2 winner, has also placed in an additional
Group 2 race, the 2013 Dato Tan Chin Nam
Stakes over 1600m at Moonee Valley at
WFA. The horse that beat him by just a few
inches… Fiorente!
Doncaster Prelude winner and dual
Group 1 placed Weary an Arc Sale graduate
selected by Mick Flanagan. Earning half a
million (AUD) in prizemoney since racing
in Australia, the four-year-old was purchased for 145,000 Euros at the 2013 Arc
Sale. Weary is widely tipped as being a real
spring prospect as it took the very in-form
Sacred Falls and Royal Descent to get past
him in the Doncaster Handicap. Both these
horses absolutely love a wet track and on
Doncaster Day 2014 at Randwick, the track
was a heavy 9. The only other horses to
beat Weary so far Down Under have been
the ultra-impressive Waterhouse gelding
Ecuador and the flying Japanese mare
Hana’s Goal.
The Arc sale graduates in Australia are a
testament to the quality of horses and the
value that can be found in the catalogue.
Two sensational days of racing at
Longchamp, include the Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe, Prix Dollar, Grand Criterium,
Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp and the
Prix de l’Opera. Over decades the Arc
weekend racing has attracted International
and French Group 1 performers Treve,
“ARQANA’s Arc Sale provides an excellent opportunity to find future
champions, experience
the delights of Paris,
and experience some
of the best racing that
Europe has to offer...”
Danedream, Moonlight Cloud, Orfevre,
Reliable Man and So You Think. Moonlight
Cloud was the filly who almost beat Black
Caviar at Royal Ascot while Reliable Man
was the grey horse who gave It’s A Dundeel
windburn in the 2013 Queen Elizabeth
at Randwick such was the strength of his
win. In addition to the sale, the weekend
is the ideal opportunity to see some of the
best racehorses in the world fight it out for
Europe’s richest turf race, the Qatar Prix
de l’Arc de Triomphe, worth €4 million
in prizemoney. Racing begins its two-day
festival with four Group 2 races on the
Saturday, whilst Sunday’s card sees eight
events at the highest level, including the
Arc, the highlight of the autumn calendar.
The sales ground and Longchamp racecourse are situated only 20 minutes outside
Paris, and no trip to France can be complete
without visiting the world famous capital.
In addition to the equine delights, the celebrated Champs-Elysees is easily accessible,
as is the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and
many other beautiful sites.
ARQANA’s Arc Sale provides an excellent opportunity to find future champions, experience the delights of Paris, and
experience some of the best racing that
Europe has to offer. It’s certainly a weekend
filled with great racing, quality horses, art,
foodie quests, fashion and fun well worth
experiencing.▣
15
Theseo and Back
A quick chat with Group 1 winning owner and Round Table Racing client Ron
Nathans
Interview by Zeb Armstrong
Ron and Jill Nathans
Can you tell us a little bit about
your background and how you
came to be an owner of a multiple
Group 1 winner?
In winter 2002, I was at a loose end and
had read an article about thoroughbred
breeding/racing and decided this was something I might be interested in. So, on the
following Monday, I rang the office of Gai
Waterhouse Racing and asked to speak with
Gai. Having said I was a solicitor and the
purpose for the call was ‘personal’, I was
pur straight through. Gai explained some
aspects to me and invited me to the stables
and that’s how our interest began.
What is the name of your firm and
what is your speciality?
I retired as a partner of Norton Rose
Fulbright, a global law firm four years
ago. I now am a consultant to that firm. I
specialised in commercial litigation and
cross-border arbitration. I acted over a
16
period of nearly a year for Coolmore in
the Royal Commission into the outbreak
of Equine Influenza in NSW, and this has
given me a unique insight into the thoroughbred industry.
Theseo won the WFA Ranvet twice
(2009, 2010), a Chipping Norton,
a Mackinnon and an Epsom. As a
Theseo owner, can you tell us if you
enjoyed any of these wins more
than the others?
Every win in the city is heart attack excitement material. The Group 1’s doubly so, but
to be at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day,
Flemington and Caulfield on Carnival days
and all this after only four years in racing
and achieving what many, with a lifetime’s
experience in racing never achieve, made it
even more special. To do this with a horse
as beautiful and tough as Theseo, made it
the ultimate racing experience. This was
brought home to my wife Jill and I, when a
fellow came up to us in the members area
at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day. He
told us that he’d been breeding and racing
horses for 30 years and he’d give anything
to have a horse like Theseo. That more
than anything, showed me how special our
experience in racing was.
Rumour has it that you and your
lovely wife might be having another try to get a champion? Is it true
that you have a share in a recently
purchased Round Table Racing
horse? What can you tell us about
this youngster?
Yes, we have an interest in a very precocious filly by Not a Single Doubt and out
of the mare Speedy Belle. She is a very big
girl and looks as though she will be quite
forward in her development and, with her
dam having won a Gimcrack Stakes, Gai
would like to try and emulate that feat with
her daughter.
Have you owned many other horses
over the journey?
Yes, we have had a few others with Gai,
the most notable being Fusakeo, who was
a Saturday horse and won over $200,000.
However, being a Fusachi Pegasus, he
was not as mentally stable or focused as
you’d like him to be, so we let him go. We
also took over a very promising Rock of
Gibralter stayer, Biographical, who had to
leave Gai’s stable because of tendon issues.
He has now had stem-cell treatment and we
hope to be back at the races with him one
day.
How about Gai and Ron? How do
you get along with the Lady
Trainer?
I’ve gotten along well with Gai from the
first day I spoke with her. The beauty with
Gai is that if you’re interested, she’s willing
to share her experiences with you. She had
no hesitation in taking me to training with
her at 4am when I showed an interest in
how it was all done and her regular updates
about your horse makes you feel you are
part of the whole training process.
The experience with Gai is also more
than just the business of racing horses. She
makes it a social experience as well and
goes out of her way to ensure that you are
involved. Whether that involves inviting
you to lunch at the races or sneaking you
“The experience with
Gai is also more than
just the business of
racing horses. She
makes it a social experience as well and goes
out of her way to ensure
that you are involved...”
into the Winner’s Room when another of
her owner’s horses wins, Gai makes racing
with Gai as fun as possible.
What do you think Gai does better
than anyone else in regards to her
owners?
Allowing her owners to feel that they are
part of the whole experience. Her regular
communications, the ability to visit the
stable and see your horses and above all her
enthusiasm, all these things sweep you up,
and in our case, introduced us not only to
the world of racing but also introduced us
to many new folk along the way.
What is the best performance you
have ever seen on a racetrack?
Theseo winning the Mackinnon by a nose!
Apart from Theseo, what is your
favourite thoroughbred of all-time?
Hard to say, there have been so many good
ones. It is remarkable that Gai and before
her Tommy, have had plenty of the best
100 horses Australia has ever seen between
them.
Away from the firm and the track
what else do you get up to? How
does a man of the law spend his
non-racing weekends?
Being semi-retired, the week-ends aren’t
quite the premium downtime that they
were when I was in full-time legal practice.
I enjoy golf, the snow, any water based
activity and hanging out with my kids and
grandkids.
Frankly, I’ve found winning Group 1’s
easier than getting my golf handicap down
to where I want it!
Theseo improved so quickly
from a good Saturday horse, to
a WFA superstar. When did you
realise he was going to be really
good?
When he won the Magic Millions Gold Cup
as a four-year-old, he just kicked on from
there and after the Epsom win we knew he
wanted to be a champion.
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(Exceed and Excel x Charmview)
BAY - 2009 - 16hh
Bred on the same cross as
Fastnet Rock...
By a Danehill stallion out of a
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At the Top End
The Darwin Cup
By Zeb Armstrong
Fannie Bay Racecourse
O
ver eight wonderful days each
July / August, the Darwin
Cup Carnival takes place at
the picturesque Fannie Bay
Racecourse that is located almost in the
middle of Darwin. It is often said that the
easiest job in the world might belong to the
Darwin weather forecaster. The weather
is either 31 and clear or 31 with showers
for 365 days a year. During the southern
hemisphere winter, Darwin is in the middle
of the dry season so for all eight days of
the carnival, you can be almost guaranteed
that the temperature will be between 30 and
32 degrees with no chance of rain. This is
in stark contrast to what is happening in
Melbourne at the same time. The weather at
Flemington while the Darwin Cup is on can
range between 10 and 12 degrees with hail,
sleet, gales and mud. Yes a trip to Darwin
for a few days certainly can warm the blood
and there is some great racing also to enjoy
while thawing out.
In recent years, when thinking of the
Darwin Cup, the mind immediately finds
the name ‘Hawks Bay.’ And it is with
good reason because this boy is probably
the greatest winner of the Darwin Cup
18
considering in his Cup defence in 2012 he
won with the crushing weight of 64.5kg.
That is 10.3lbs in the old weights system
and four pounds more than Phar Lap carried
to victory in the 1930 Melbourne Cup. On
this occasion the grand campaigner won
by a nose thus giving him back to back
“In recent years, when
thinking of the Darwin
Cup, the mind immediately finds the name
‘Hawks Bay.’ And it is
with good reason...”
Darwin Cup wins. Hawks Bay’s 2011 Cup
win was with 62kg so it too was a superb
win. However the gelding has done much
more in the Top End than simply win the
Darwin Cup twice. He has also won the
Darwin Derby, the Darwin Guineas, and in
2009 and 2010 the warm weather champion
ran second in the Cup. In all, Hawks Bay
has two wins and two seconds in the Cup,
has won the two feature Darwin three-yearold races (Derby and Guineas) and he has
also won or placed in six other races at the
iconic Fannie Bay racecourse. We have to
remember that this horse finds it very hard
to win in Melbourne, but he certainly grows
a leg in Darwin. He must enjoy the warm
weather!
Gai and Rob head to Darwin most
years. Rob runs a book and Gai enjoys the
racing. Gai and Rob are certainly not the
only southern states racing identities that
attend the Carnival. Hundreds of people
from Randwick and Flemington attend the
Carnival as well as thousands of locals and
plenty of tourists from all over the world.
The Darwin Cup Carnival is the number one tourist attraction in the Northern
Territory. This is remarkable considering
the Northern Territory is home to Katherine
Gorge, Fitzroy River, Kakadu and of course
Uluru.
The two feature days are Saturday 2
August 2014 when the famous Palmerston
Sprint takes place and Monday 4 August
which traditionally is Cup day. Darwin
has something for everyone. There is the
perfect weather, great beaches, almost the
world’s best fishing, very unique scenery
and wonderful racing at a very special
racetrack. See you in Darwin! ▣
http://www.darwinturfclub.org.au/
Training in Paradise
In the first of a regular blog during work experience with Gai, Joe Callan (21) from
Co Kildare describes his time with our legendary Australian Trainer Gai Waterhouse
By Joe Callan
S
ome people working in Gai Waterhouse’s stable say that it is good
luck when you “strap” or take a
horse to the races for the first time
for the yard. In my case, this was in fact
true; perhaps the luck of the Irish contributed as my first trip to the races in Australia
resulted in me being lucky enough to have
the opportunity to lead a potentially high
class horse in to the winner’s enclosure for
such a high class stable. The horse Liberation a two-year-old colt by Fastnet Rock,
won a strongly contested race in Rosehill
on Saturday in tremendous style, all the
while breaking the course record for a race
of that class. Being my first experience tak-
all aspects. The facilities at the two tracks I
have been lucky enough to make it too have
been next to none in standard, all aimed
at an accessible and enjoyable day. In Randwick, down by the winning post there is a
large open area with tables and chairs so
the racegoers can enjoy a relaxing evening
in the sun while taking in the action. Most
meetings would consist of racecourse gallops too, which take place throughout the
day in between races, rather than after the
races like at home. This gives the people
an opportunity to witness high class horses
on a day with racing of not the strongest
calibre, as it is not until August the Spring
Carnival commences and it is then when the
big races in Australia are held. On Saturday Gai brought two very useful European
imports to gallop at Rosehill. Tres Blue
the winner of the Prix De Deauville was
one, while, Michelangelo, the St Leger
third placed horse behind Encke and
Camelot was the other. This opportunity
for racegoers to see these high class horses
and possible Melbourne Cup contenders
gallop throughout the day is one that should
be observed. Of course we do a similar
routine occasionally after racing in Ireland
but it is the frequency of this opportunity in
Australia that is an attraction for the day to
“Tres Blue the winner
of the Prix De Deauville
was one, while, Michelangelo, the St Leger
third placed horse behind Encke and Camelot
was the other. This opportunity for racegoers
to see these high class
horses and possible Melbourne Cup contenders
gallop throughout the
day is one that should
be observed...”
Strapper Joe Callan with Liberation, Julia Ritchie,
Sheila Burns, Ron Burn and Inglis Sponsors, Arthur
Inglis and Andrew Munce
Photo by Bradley Photographers
ing a horse to the races over here, I am sure
I looked a bit out of place leading the horse
back in and getting directions where to take
him in the ring once he had won. It is far
different to home as in Ireland there is a
clearly marked winners pole in the ring. In
Rosehill an area of the ring is cordoned off
for the winner, similar to some American
tracks. But one thing that was very similar
to Ireland was the excitement beaming from
the group of cheering owners as the horse
had won on only his third start.
The racing here is set up for the racegoers
to get as much as possible out of the day in
day racegoer.
Another great opportunity for the racegoers, horses, owners and trainers are the
regular trials that occur here. The trials are
set up like a race day at the larger tracks
and the jockeys even wear the owners
silks. The horse goes through the full
routine from going through the barriers to
racing over the set trip of that trial. This is
excellent for the horse and a great chance
for owners to see their horses run. Trainers
utilise this opportunity to the maximum
with Gai sending almost 40 horses to recent
trials at Randwick last week.
As you can imagine this required all
hands on deck in the yards! This time of
year the trials are amazing, as we creep
closer and closer to the first day of the
Spring Carnival we see some pretty flashy
types making appearances. The trials are
regularly televised and are part of the form
guide for all the horses.
Although I have only been here a few
weeks I firmly believe there is much to be
learned from Australia about the “racing
experience”. It is a fantastic country with
huge opportunities and the Waterhouse
stable is of course one of the best places to
experience this wonderful industry under
the guidance of a great mind. ▣
19
Saluting the Stayers
With her first entry in the Melbourne Cup Gai almost won the race. She has a
proven track record with stayers as Zeb relates
By Zeb Armstrong
“Gai’s first Group 1 winner was Te Akau Nick in
the 1992 Metropolitan
Handicap. This launched
what is currently the
third Greatest Group
One career in Australian
history...”
This launched what is currently the third
Greatest Group 1 career in Australian history and by far the greatest current streak of a
participating solo trainer. The Metropolitan
is not a race one would normally associate
with Gai Waterhouse, but the simple truth
is that Gai has won eight of the last twenty
one editions of the mile-and-a-half spring
feature. The Metrop is Gai’s most successful Group 1 race in terms of number of
wins.
After winning the Metropolitan, Te
Akau Nick came back in the autumn to
win the Chairman’s, then he ran second in
the Group 1 Sydney Cup. He then closed
out his preparation by winning the AJC
St Leger, a race that Tulloch once won by
twenty lengths.
However Te Akau Nick was not done. He
20
again came back from a spell and headed to
Melbourne for the 1993 Melbourne Cup. At
160-1 Te Akau Nick led the 1993 Melbourne Cup field a merry dance only to be
run down by the great Vintage Crop in the
last 100m. The Waterhouse trained longshot
held on for second and Gai was well and
truly on the board as a trainer of stayers. Te
Akau Nick conceded Vintage Crop 0.5kg
on this occasion. Two years later in what
was one of the best eras of three-year-olds
in recent memory, Nothin’Leica Dane, fresh
off beating Octagonal in the VRC Derby,
backed up in the Melbourne Cup. No threeyear-old had won the Melbourne Cup since
Skipton in 1941 in what was a wartime Cup
run in front of very few people. Unfortunately Nothin’Leica Dane did not end this
youngster drought, but like Te Akau Nick,
he went mighty close.
The best stayer in the land on the first
Tuesday in November 1995 was undoubtedly Doriemus and the great Freedman trained
champion was a little more seasoned than
Nothin’ Leica Dane and managed to swamp
The Offer winning the Sydney Cup Randwick
G
ai Waterhouse’s record in
the shorter races especially
in two-year-old races is well
documented. The Lady Trainer
after-all has won five of the last fourteen
Golden Slippers and seven of the last
fifteen Sires’. But what is often overlooked
is the fact that Gai’s Group 1 career started
on the back of stayers. Her most successful
ever Group 1 race (number of victories)
is a staying race, and nowadays, the Lady
Trainer is leaving no stone unturned in her
pursuit of winning feature spring Cups.
Gai’s first Group 1winner was Te Akau
Nick in the 1992 Metropolitan Handicap.
the colt in the final furlong of the race.
Ironically Vintage Crop ran third in this
race!
It is now fast approaching the 2014
spring and things have come a long way
since the early 1990s. Gai is arguably the
best trainer of stayers in Australia as she is
the reigning winner of the only two Group
1 races over 3200m in Australia (the Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Cup). Gai, next
season, will also be defending her 2013
– 2014 titles in the Australian Cup, David
Jones Cup, Grafton Cup, Australia Day
Cup, ATC Cup and Ballarat Cup. The Lady
Trainer has also won the last two VRC St.
Leger’s over 2800m which is almost the
oldest remaining feature race in Australia.
The stayers are flying and there is no
better time than spring to have a good
handle on the distance horses. However,
not all horses can get into the Melbourne
and Caulfield Cup’s, but there is also the
Ballarat Cup, the rich Bendigo Cup, the
Melbourne Cup qualifier the Geelong Cup,
the Herbet Power, the Hotham and any
Happy owners of Queenstown, (left to right) Alistair and Mary Simpson, Jackie Berry,
Jaqueline Coulter and strapper Rajendra Adhikari
number of other staying events including
of course, the Metropolitan Handicap in
Sydney.
Imports Bonfire (Manduro x Night
Frolic) and Greatwood (Manduro x Gaze)
have both trialled remarkably well as we go
to print. Both have acclimatised and are fast
heading towards their aussie debuts. Tres
Blue (Anabaa Blue x Tres Ravi) has now
been in Australia for an extended period
of time and he has grown like a teenager.
He looks ready to make a big impact in
the spring as he has a stack of ability. The
comeback boy Danas Best (Danasinga x
Best Promise) won his trial on 18 July and
he too looks remarkable. Last preparation
he went from strength to strength and there
is no doubt he will be better again this time
in. The St. Leger winners Order of the Sun
(Encosta de Lago x Sequin) and Hippopus (High Chaparral x Straight Eight) are
coming off successful preparation and both
are proven in Victoria. Melbourne is no
doubt where they are heading again in the
coming weeks and months. Then there is
The Offer (Montjeu x Valdara). The current
Melbourne Cup favourite has trialled
exceptionally well and according to Tommy
Berry “you look at him last preparation,
in his trials and he couldn’t keep up to the
second last horse, whereas today he sprinted home to run second or third. I just can’t
believe how big he is behind his saddle.
“Imports Bonfire (Manduro x Night Frolic) and
Greatwood (Manduro x
Gaze) have both trialled
remarkably well as we
go to print. Both have
acclimatised and are fast
heading towards their
Aussie debuts...”
He’s just so much stronger and he showed
that today.”
There are also several up and coming
young staying prospects. Two that are
looking very good at this early stage are
Projectile (Encosta de Lago x Patasi) and
Forever Loved (High Chaparral x Diamond
Like). Projectile is a very progressive
gelding that has trialled well and has all the
potential in the world. He has won several
really good races so far in his short career
and he certainly looks a type that will get
better with more racing. Forever Loved is
by High Chaparral and his progeny generally get better with age. Forever Loved
is about to turn four and she has already
placed in a Group 1 over 2000m and she
also ran a brave fourth in the ATC Oaks
last autumn. Should she get better, to which
all indicators are pointing, it will be a very
exciting time for everyone involved as she
is already extremely well performed. The
stayers are coming and the stable is ready.
Gai has trained 125 Group 1 winners so far
in her stellar career. The first one was over
2400m, her greatest win was over 3200m
and also, in between, she has won plenty
of other good races at 2000m and beyond.
But now, after several years of attending the
Melbourne Cup Carnival, Gai is attacking
the great race and all the lead up races with
all guns blazing. There is no better time
than now to get involved with a Waterhouse
trained stayer. Exciting times ahead. ▣
21
(Right) Hugh, Hugh jnr, strapper Joshua Whitaker, John
Livingstone, and a Gosford Race Club representative,
after Tohunga’s Madien Plate win
An Interview with NZ Owner
Hugh Chapman
Interview by Zeb Armstrong
First of all, can you tell us a little
bit about yourself and how you got
involved with Gai Waterhouse?
I live in NZ near Auckland, not too far
from NZ bloodstock actually. I am married
to Karen with a couple of adult children.
Hugh jnr runs a business in Sydney and
our daughter Celine is a fashion designer in
Auckland.
When the Lady Trainer asked us to
interview you, she said you were
up in the Gulf of Carpentaria. What
were you doing up there?
I was helping a company out with some
training for equipment they had sold to
the Doomadgee Aboriginal council. The
equipment looks for water pipe leaks under
the ground. The geography and isolation up
there is simply extraordinary, as too is the
wildlife. Big crocs!
Your colt Liberty’s Choice looks to
24
have come back wonderfully well
from a brief spell after a very successful albeit winless preparation.
Do you think he can make the big
step to open class in the spring?
Well I certainly hope so. He won’t have
to improve too many percentage points to
win a few bigger races. Apart from one or
two average runs, he was so consistent,
especially in Scone and Queensland. In the
Scone Guineas, the Canberra Guineas and
the Queensland Guineas he was beaten a
total of about a length combined. Fingers
crossed that he can turn around his luck a
little bit in the coming months.
What other horses have you had
with Gai over the years?
Hydro, Tohunga, Almighty Charge, and a
couple of slower ones.
Do you have a preference for
the kiwi bred horses? Tohunga is
slowly getting back to his best,
and he is one of only a few Zabeel’s
throughout the stable. Did you
have any hand in picking him at
the sales?
I don’t actually mind what the breed is so
long as they run quickly. I didn’t have any
hand in picking Tohunga at the sales as he
was actually on the GWR website. Gai has
“I don’t actually mind
what the breed is so
long as they run quickly [...] Gai has superior
judgement to almost
anyone so that is good
enough for me ...”
superior judgement to almost anyone so that
is good enough for me. I know Rudi Leifting who raced the mare (Tohunga’s dam)
She’s Just a Tad who won two Group 1s
Tohunga winning his Maiden Plate at
Gosford
happen today in such a race.
In early autumn 2012 Tohunga was the
hot favourite in a 2100m race at Gosford.
He stood in the stalls (like his dam did
once or twice) and lost ten lengths. He was
hopelessly last for the first half of the race,
before he caught the field, looped them and
won by six lengths. A good effort that one.
Away from the races, how do you
fill in your leisure time? Rugby?
Golf? Beer?
and was beaten just a neck in the Australian
Oaks. Rudi thought that her progeny may
well continue on in her footsteps. Tohunga’s
grand dam was pretty good so all in all, it
was well worth having a go and yes, he was
much improved at his last start. So again,
fingers crossed!
Hydro is by a champion stallion out
of a Group 1 winning mare. He may
have inherited a little bit of his
mother’s famous insanity because
his very best is very good, but he
can do a little wrong. He too has
come back well and looks to have
matured remarkably.
What do you expect from Hydro
this time in?
Cassidy aboard. This was a remarkable
performance and a real source of kiwi pride
for me on the day. When I was a kid Dad
used to take me to the races at Ellerslie.
Dad loved the jumps as he grew up just
across the road from Ellerslie and the
famous jumps course. One day Kaimai, a
grey horse ridden by Baggy Hillis fell at the
water jump in the Great Northern Steeplechase which is the 6400m epic run every
year at Ellerslie. Baggy grabbed the horse,
remounted, jumped the water jump again
and won the race. I doubt this would
Yes, although I don’t play much golf. I desperately need to practice a little more. My
provincial rugby team in NZ are The Counties Manukau Steelers. This is the team in
which Jonah Lomu started his career. Last
year we won the treasured Ranfurly Shield
for the first time. We had been very close to
winning the shield over the last three years
but always fell a little short. It was a bit
of a surprise to win it last year, but a very
welcome one.
We have to defend our title now this year
and there are plenty of excellent challengers, but so far so good.
What do you most enjoy about being a loyal Gai Waterhouse owner?
I’ve had a bit of fun on the big Group 1
days with Gai. I have not quite bagged a
Group 1 winner yet, but it is never too late.
Being involved in the stable gives you a
constant source of excitement in that the
next winner is never far away and Gai
wants to win the big ones just as much as
her owners.
Hydro has been a shade disappointing but
it is only because he always looks a million
dollars in the mounting yard. He trialled
exceptionally well so let’s hope he puts
his best foot forward. He certainly has the
ability.
Do you go to many race meetings
in Australia?
Yes, I seem to get to a few. It can be a lot of
fun and entertaining attending the races in
Australia.
What is the greatest performance
you have ever witnessed on a racetrack?
May I have three? I was at Flemington
when Kiwi came from last in the 1983 Melbourne Cup with a fresh faced Jimmy
Some of the locals at Doomadgee
25
More Thinking Needed
Timing and positioning the yearling sales is not only an integral part of selling
yearlings but crucial, as Rob explains in this enlightening article
By Rob Waterhouse
Gai says: “Were the Easter horses sold
four months earlier, they would achieve far
more.”
But the breeders love Easter, notwithstanding, it can occur anywhere in a sixweek window.
An aerial view of Warwick Farm
Move to Warwick Farm
Inglis have more than that to worry about.
The breeders would like the sale complex to
be moved out of the city to Warwick Farm:
Easter and Warwick Farm Sales
26
for the first time at seven. Late kids have
missed out on those skills and habits developed in those, the early years. (Although,
Gai, a late starter herself, turned out pretty
well!)
And, not wanting to labour the point,
but my statistics of different sales Australasia-wide prove the point. Easter underperforms in the key success indicators notwithstanding it being the most expensive.
easy access from the M5 from the south and
the M7 from the north and west.
Inglis have an arrangement to buy acreage there, from the ATC, and that would
free the auction house up to unlock the
value of land in a prime residential area
Source: The Daily Telegraph
‘The lot of a thoroughbred auctioneer’, to
paraphrase Gilbert’s (and Sullivan, who
wrote the music) famous quote, ‘is not a
happy one’.
They get a lot of “agro” from vendors,
who are usually breeders, whose ideas are
often counterproductive to their own best
interest.
Wm Inglis & Son had proposed a December yearling sale this year for precocious
yearlings. This was a reasonable idea, but
the breeders have kyboshed the plan.
The breeders love selling their stock
at Easter, when their yearlings look very
mature.
But, Gai, who knows a thing or two about
making great racehorses, says that it is far
too late to maximise their potential: three
months or so behind in education to the
Magic Millions and New Zealand yearlings.
Gai compares it to the child who starts
kindergarten at four years of age compared
with the child who sees the school gates
“I imagine there would
be a good-sized special
dividend to shareholders. And they’d build a
nice, state-of-the-art
sales complex out
there ...”
M5 Carpark
Destruction
Source: Wallippo
and then in descending order). Or, this
could be in reverse order.
Perhaps a hybrid method might be more
practical: in a 500 lot catalogue, cheap lots
increasing in value until, say, lot 100, with
it being top lot, then the second top and so
on. I believe that would maximise prices.
And it is this method used by art auction
companies. Rod Menzies, of Menzies Art
Brands, Australia’s foremost art auctioneers, says: “Lot order is vital. We start the
sale with quirky, interesting items, rising in
price, then we have our signature section,
again building to crescendo, then after the
summit, decreasing value where buyers
know they are getting value.” Sounds
sensible.
at Randwick. I imagine there would be a
good-sized special dividend to shareholders, and, also, they’d build a nice, state-ofthe-art sales complex out there.
I should add, every buyer and bloodstock
agent thinks the Warwick Farm move is
a terrible mistake. Their view is that a
Warwick Farm horse sale would be only
attended by trainers and agents – no actual
customers and no interested spectators.
Gerry Harvey, who owns Magic Millions,
has recently purchased the long lease of the
retail space at Moore Park for $80 million,
with the available-for-rent showground,
a venue that used to be a thoroughbred
auction place (and racecourse). Surely this
must be a bombshell for Inglis.
What a daunting situation Australia’s
leading bloodstock company could be in
– their only competition moving into the
vacuum they will leave in Sydney.
What an interesting case study MBA programs around the world might find it to be.
Great and established companies can be
swept away. Don’t forget the freak fire that
wiped out leading Sydney horse auctioneer,
H. Chisholm & Company in the 1930s and
made Inglis.
The market would be more ordered. It
would obviate the charade of imaginary
bids till the auctioneer says those magic
words: “It is on the market”, signifying it
has reached the reserve.
Perhaps, Inglis should remember the final
verse from the famous Pirates of Penzance
song: “Duty to be done, to be done” and
stay at Randwick, move the main sale to
January and change the selling order.
Brett Whiteley’s ‘The Olgas
Source: The Australian
Catalogue order
Selling order is another example of
breeders exerting influence over auction
sales companies, which has a negative
influence on their sale outcome.
The order of lots used to be ‘by vendor’
(I’m getting very old). All one’s stud horses
were offered, then the next stud and so on.
As a result of vendors complaining they
are now sold, usually, in the alphabetical
order of dams. Which the breeders say is
“fair”.
But alphabetical order, in my opinion,
does not maximise their sales price for the
vendors.
A theoretical economist would say they
should be sold in an order based on the expected sale price, possibly in the opinion of
the auction house. A simple form would be
to arrange the catalogue with the expected
sales topper - lot 1, next most favoured lot 2
and so on. This model suggests prospective
buyers would be right on “key”, knowing
what they have to do to be successful. And
all those that failed with lot 1 would be
there for lot 2 etc.
The economist would argue reverse order
would work just as well – working up to
the best.
At cattle and sheep sales, fat (ready for
the knife) or store (ready to be fattened), the
heaviest (i.e. most expensive are sold first
“And it is this method
used by art auction companies. Rod Menzies,
of Menzies Art Brands,
Australia’s foremost art
auctioneers, says: “Lot
order is vital ...”
27
Budding Young Apprentice
Winona Costin
Winona winning her first Saturday Metropolitan
race on Almalad
This month, nineteen-year-old apprentice jockey Winona Costin sat down to talk
with me about women in racing, the sport and the future. She comes from a long
line of jockeys and shows a promising career in the racing industry
Interview by Madison Whant
At what age did you start riding
horses?
I was three when I first rode a horse.
Do you come from a racing family?
My Great Grandfather was champion
New Zealand jockey Larry Wiggins. My
maternal great grandfather was Jack Wood
who trained Captain Peri to run third in the
1974 Melbourne Cup and my dad was a
top apprentice in Victoria in the 1960s. My
mum was also a foreman for Mike Moroney
in New Zealand and my Aunty Cathy was
a jockey in NZ too. So you could say that
racing was definitely in my blood.
What was the deciding factor for
becoming a jockey?
I always wanted to be a jockey. When I
was younger my dad worked in quite a few
different stables. I often went to work with
him so my interest in racing came naturally.
28
When did you start your apprenticeship with Gai and what was the
decision behind it?
About four months ago I made the move to
Gai’s stable and now work full-time at Tulloch Lodge. I wanted to be the best jockey I
can and I also wanted to ride in the city in
the metropolitan races so I started coming
up once a week to ride for Gai. I was very
lucky to be asked to stay permanently.
Working for Gai was the best decision for
me.
Being with her, I have learnt that Gai
knows how to get the best out of her horses
and her riders. Her results really speak for
themselves.
How many winners have you ridden?
I just rode my 100th winner on the 16th of
June. I was riding Cocktail Time for Lee
Curtis.
What has been your most memorable ride/win?
I have three favourites. The Kembla Cup on
Ready Me Fein, the Wellington Boot on I
am Snippety and my first Saturday Metropolitan race which was for Gai on Almalad.
How did you feel after your first
gallop?
Your first gallop is an amazing feeling.
After that I was completely hooked.
Do you have any stable favourites
at track work?
Almalad and Michelangelo are my top two.
What is it like being apprenticed
to Gai and riding with top jockeys
such as Tommy Berry and Nash
Rawiller?
It is a lot of hard work but the experience
and benefit is amazing. Tommy is a great
help to me with my riding and former
jockey, Mark Newnham (who is now Gai’s
assistant trainer) also plays a big role in my
rides, watching and helping me with my
technique.
What has been your hardest stepping stone in getting to this point
in your career?
Moving out of home has been very hard,
however, I am lucky to have my family
only an hour and half away.
Do you know many other female
jockeys in the industry?
I have a lot of friends that are female jockeys. There are so many in both the city and
country.
Is it hard at times navigating your
way through a very male dominated industry?
What does your life consist of
when you aren’t riding?
After track work and stable work, especially with the early mornings, there isn’t time
left to do anything other than sleeping. I do
a lot of driving and I have also bred a few
riding ponies.
Can you remember the first horse
you ever rode?
My pony at the time was called Midgy. She
was chocolate with a white mane and tail.
I was only a three-year-old but I loved to
go fast.
Are you ready for the spotlight
that comes with being a successful
jockey?
I hope so. I really want to make it in the
city.
Do you think you will follow in
others footsteps and race overseas
if you can?
If the opportunity arises I would love to
race internationally.
Who was your favourite race horse
of all time?
Makybe Diva. She was an incredible
racehorse. I hope to ride a horse like her
one day.
What do you tell yourself when
you need some inspiration to get
out there and do the best you can?
Especially with the long hours you
keep...
Sometimes it is very hard but my love for
horses and my ambition to succeed as a
jockey is my motivation.
Winona cantering Under the Sun
I haven’t noticed it personally however it is
getting easier for women. More and more
trainers are recognising we are just as good
as the male jockeys.
What advice would you give to
other people striving to become a
jockey?
Put 100% in every day and you will get
there. It is worth it when you do.
How do you stay fit?
Do you have a strict diet?
I am very lucky, I don’t have to waste at all.
I ride a lot of track work and travel a lot.
This takes up most of my life so I don’t get
a lot of time to do anything else. I do like to
run when I can and I also enjoy swimming.
Milly Blooms ~flowers naturally~
Location: Bondi Junction
Phone: 0418 417 544
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.millyblooms.com.au
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first order!
29
June and July in New Zealand mark the start of a long and very important process
for breeders, as NZB calls for entries for the 2015 yearling sales, and preparers start
the six-month countdown to their yearlings’ two golden minutes in the sale ring
A
s NZB’s biggest auction of
the year, the National Yearling
Sales Series sees over 1400
horses catalogued for sale over
six or seven days of selling, generating over
70% of our company’s auction revenue for
the year.
Getting horses entered, inspected, catalogued and marketed is a lengthy process
that starts many months from sale day.
As entries start rolling in at this time of
year, we generate pedigrees for each horse
that then forms the basis of our selection
process. This is not the pedigree that ends
up in the catalogue, but a longer and more
detailed version that incorporates historical
sales data to assist the bloodstock team to
start to select each yearling for its eventual
sale session.
With entries in and pedigrees done, the
selection process begins. First, a selection
committee comprising of our full bloodstock team meets to review the entire
bundle of entries based on pedigree. At
the same time, they have a pile of data to
review: sire tables, strike rates, race results,
sales history, etc. This week-long discussion involves some juicy debates about
“Often an Australian
owner will send yearlings
to NZ early in their prep
to benefit from the farms,
horseman and often
smaller sire representation here ...”
the merits of individual stallions, current
racetrack performers and performances, and
other information relevant to how a horse
might be received by the market come next
January.
With that done, over 1000 yearlings are
then physically inspected from the top of
the North Island to the bottom of the South
Island, and across to Australia, so they can
be graded across our three main sales ses
sions – the Premier, Select and Festival
30
Sales.
This is mammoth activity each year for
our bloodstock team of John Cameron,
Danny Rolston and Regan Donnison.
With horses assessed on both pedigree and
physical type, a nice type that is to say, bordering on the Select and Premier sessions
on pedigree, could win its way into the
Premier Sale if it impresses our bloodstock
team physically.
Meanwhile NZB’s Australian-based reps
of Richard Haynes, Clint Donovan and
Brent Thompson go through the same exercise with yearlings entered for the Karaka
Sales from Australia. Often an Australian
owner will send yearlings to New Zealand
early in their prep to benefit from the farms,
horseman and often smaller sire representation here, many with outstanding results. In
2013, Sydney owner John Camilleri entered
his Fastnet Rock colt (ex Celebria) at Karaka, with the horse sent to Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore Stud to be prepared.
The colt fetched a mighty NZ$1,975,000,
bought by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier, making one very happy owner.
For NZB the yearling selection process
goes through to the end of September, with
pedigrees and catalogue pages sent to the
printer at the start of November, and catalogues available from the start of December. Hopefully by then we’ll be sitting on
an appealing crop of young horses ready to
impress an eager buying bench.
In June racing news, we were thrilled
to see Bruce Slade’s Round Table Racing
experiencing its first success with a horse
purchased from Karaka. Mr Boomsday was
a NZ$240,000 horse from NZB’s Ready to
Run Sale, purchased with the assistance of
James Harron and trained by Gai to deliver
a win at his very first outing on 25 June.
No doubt there will be many more to come
from such a dedicated team, and we wish
them all the best of luck for many more
successes to come. ▣
Gai with the New Zealand Prime Minister
John Key
Grand Armee winning the Group 1 Queen
Elizabeth Stakes in 2004
Gai’s GROUP 1 Glories
An Astonishing Achievement
By Zeb Armstrong
W
hat have been Gai’s greatest Group 1 victories? Well
before delving into that,
we first must explore the
Lady Trainer’s all-time Group 1 statistics.
As from the time between the last Group
One race of the 2013 – 2014 season and
the first Group 1 race of the 2014 – 2015
season, Gai Waterhouse has won a total of
125 Group 1 races, and the Lady Trainer
has no plans whatsoever of slowing down.
Gai’s 125 Group 1 victories puts her third
on the all-time list. She is now one ahead of
Lee Freedman who is not currently active
as a solo trainer. The next on the list as a
currently participating solo trainer is David
Hayes on 59. The two trainers ahead of
Gai on the all-time Group 1 wins list are
Bart Cummings (266) and T.J. Smith (282).
T.J. trained for about fifty years to get his
282 whereas Gai is at 125 after 22 years.
The seasons 2004 – 2005 and 2006 – 2007
resulted in Gai having her best Group 1
seasons with eleven. Gai also had ten Group
1 winners in 1996 – 1997 and 2002 – 2003.
The season just gone resulted in seven
Group 1s for the Lady Trainer.
Thirty two of Gai’s Group 1 wins have
been in handicap races. Ninety three have
been in WFA or Set Weights races. What
is remarkable is that for a trainer who for
most of her career has been famous for
training brilliant two-year-olds, Gai’s most
successful Group 1 race is the 2400m Metropolitan Handicap. The Lady Trainer has
led in eight winners in the famous spring
“Gai’s 125 Group 1 victories puts her third on the
all-time list; she is now
one ahead of Lee Freedman ...”
handicap. Another longer race where Gai
has had a remarkable record is in the 2000m
Ranvet Stakes. Gai has trained seven
winners in this great autumn WFA race.
Then there is the Epsom, the best 1600m
handicap of the spring. Like the Ranvet,
Gai has trained seven winners in this race.
The 1400m Sires’ for two-year-olds and
the 1600m Flight Stakes for three-year-old
fillies have also given Gai seven winners
each. Then there is the Doncaster, which
has been Sydney’s best race for a long time
and one of the richest mile handicaps in
the world. Like the Ranvet and the Flight
Stakes, Gai has won this great race seven
times making her tied as the all-time leading Doncaster winner with her father T.J.
Smith. The 1600m WFA Chipping Norton
has been won by Gai on six occasions while
the richest race for two-year-olds on earth
the 1200m Golden Slipper has been won
by Gai 5 times. Having won the Slipper
five times, Gai is second behind her father
(six wins) as the greatest trainer of Golden
Slipper winners.
The first 36 Golden Slippers happened
under T.J.s’ watch while the next twenty
two have been run and won while Gai has
been in charge of Tulloch Lodge. T.J. therefore won six of 36 Golden Slippers, Gai has
won fic of twenty two. The other two most
successful Group 1 races in regards to multiple Waterhouse wins are the 2000m WFA
Queen Elizabeth and the 1600m WFA
31
Gai’s Group 1 Glories cont...
George Main. Gai has won each of these
two great races on four occasions.
As far as Group 1 ‘Classics’ go, Gai has
won eleven. These eleven are made up
of a Derby, two Sydney Cups, six Oaks
races Australia wide, a Caulfield Cup and
a Melbourne Cup. Of Gai’s 125 Group 1
wins, exactly 100 have taken place in NSW.
Seventeen have been won in Victoria, five
in Queensland and three in South Australia.
Gai’s most successful Group 1 winners
in terms of number of wins are Juggler
(fourwins), All Our Mob (four wins), Dance
Hero (four wins), Grand Armee (seven
wins), Desert War (six wins), More Joyous
(eight wins) and Pierro who won five Group
1 races in just fourteen starts over just an
eighteen month racing career.
between $4.20 and $101 and they ended up
running 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 12th. It is truly a remarkable effort that Gai could train
the trifecta in this race. Consider how many
two-year-olds are aimed at this race each
year, and how hard it is to get them to the
race. Gai did all this and on race day, the
Lady Trainer managed to get home the first
three. This is the only time this has ever
been done. The winner was Ha Ha who was
a $13 chance. The filly with Jimmy Cassidy
aboard came from midfield to storm past
her highly rated stablemates. Gai often
mentions that Ha Ha was not fancied by the
punters, but in fact she knew the filly was
her best chance because of the improvement
she had shown in the weeks leading up to
the 2001 Slipper.
Gai’s top Twelve
11. Sebring - 2008 Sires’ Produce
Stakes
“The wins are rated on
the quality of the field,
the strength of the win,
there place in Australian
thoroughbred history
/ folk law and the fact
that a particular horse
was able to be trained to
find its best...”
stop at twelve. At a guess, Gai would have
her Melbourne Cup win as her number one
greatest victory then the other 124 Group 1
wins in a tie for second! This list of Gai’s
top twelve Group 1 victories is an independent view. The wins are rated on the quality
of the field, the strength of the win, their
place in Australian thoroughbred history
/ folk law and the fact that a particular
horse was able to be trained to find its best
on a given day. Rarely does a horse win
a Group 1 when it is not at its best, so all
these twelve were at their peak when they
won these races. And why twelve you may
ask? After all most lists are top tens or top
fives. Well the humble author of this article
simply could not cut out two and make it
ten! Here is Zeb Armstrong’s list of Gai’s
top twelve greatest ever (to date) Group 1
victories.
12. Ha Ha – 2001 Golden Slipper
In the 2001 Golden Slipper, Gai had a
remarkable five runners or just over 30% of
the field. The five horses were rated
32
In just six starts, Sebring won two Group
1 races and was narrowly beaten in another.
His Sires’ win gets the nod for this particular list over his Slipper win due to the horse
that ran second. It was the magnificent filly
Samantha Miss. Sebring would have easily
beaten Samantha Miss in the 1200m Golden Slipper had she contested the race, and
Samantha Miss beat Sebring (by an inch) in
the 1600m Champagne Stakes. The 1400m
Sires’ was over a neutral distance and both
gun youngsters had great runs. Sebring
came out on top by a length in what was his
greatest ever win.
10. Secret Savings – 1997 Doncaster Handicap
Secret Savings may have been ahead
of his time. He was imported from the
United States and arrived at Tulloch Lodge
9. All Our Mob – 1995 Newmarket
Handicap
The 1995 Newmarket was Gai’s first
Group 1 victory in Melbourne. All Our
Mob had won a Stradbroke but he generally
saved his best for races around the 2000m.
However, the gelding had put the writing
on the wall the previous spring (1994), that
he was no slouch as a sprinter with a great
second to the champion Schillaci beaten
less than half a length. Heading towards
the 1995 Newmarket, the gelding was in
pretty good form but had not won since the
winter of 1994. Here he was in the autumn
1995, in Australia’s greatest sprint race and
he managed to storm home and win in what
was the second fastest winning time since
the switch to the metric system.
8. Nothin’ Leica Dane – 1995 VRC
Derby
Tommy Smith’s career famously got the
kick along it needed when a horse named
Playboy won the VRC Derby at 100-1 in
1949. Forty six years later with Tommy in
HA HA winning the 2001 Golden Slipper
If Gai was the one putting together the
list of her top twelve greatest Group 1 wins,
there is absolutely no way the list would
with very little fanfare at all. He started at
50-1 in a Group 3 race at Rosehill shortly
after his arrival. He won. He then went to
Newcastle and won the Newmarket before
narrowly being beaten in the Group 1
George Ryder. He had not put a foot wrong
since arriving in Australia and as to put an
exclamation mark on his career, the entire
won the Doncaster at his next start. He
managed to hold out stable favourite All
Our Mob and gun miler Catalan Opening
in winning in tremendous fashion and in
great time. This win marked Gai’s fourth
consecutive win in the Doncaster, a record
that still remains today.
Pierro winning the Group 1 Canterbury
Stakes at Rosehill in 2013
the mounting yard, Gai (with Tommy’s urgings) instructed Shane Dye to make every
post a winner on Nothin’ Leica Dane in the
1995 VRC Derby.
The gelding had to make it hard for the
champion Octagonal who was in the race
fresh off a Cox Plate victory. Octagonal
would be flying home and Nothin’ Leica
Dane had to be far enough in front so to
make sure Octagonal would run out of
ground before he got past him. The plan
worked a treat and Nothin’ Leica Dane held
on to win the Derby by just under a length.
The colt backed up three days later in
the Melbourne Cup and the tactics almost
worked again, only to have the best stayer
in Australia at the time Doriemus wheel
him in over the last 100m.
7. Descarado – 2010 Caulfield Cup
Gai, up until October 2010 had never
won a Melbourne Spring major. The Lady
Trainer had won every good race in Sydney
but had been quiet in Melbourne for a
little while. Gai said in the press that she
absolutely hated going to the Caulfield Cup
or the Melbourne Cup and not having a
horse running. The solution… buy a good
gelding from New Zealand and aim it at the
Caulfield Cup. Chris Munce got the ride
which is another story in itself considering
he was not long out of prison at the time.
The rain came, Munce rode a perfect race
and the gelding did the rest to give Gai her
first Victorian major.
6. More Joyous – 2012 Doncaster
Handicap
The week leading up to the 2012 Doncaster will forever be remembered for one
thing… rain. It poured for days before the
race and all the talk was about whether or
not More Joyous would run. She had not
lost a race in Sydney in almost three years
apart from the previous year’s Doncaster
which was run on a very heavy track. Finally Doncaster day arrived and the sun was
out. Gai declared to the radio stations in the
morning that the mare would run and would
win. This is exactly what happened. More
Joyous had to carry 57.5kg to victory which
was only 0.5kg less than Sunline carried to
victory in the race ten years earlier. More
Joyous’ winning weight remains the second
highest (behind Sunline) since Super
Impose in 1991. Then there are the rivals.
More Joyous beat ten individual Group 1
winners in the 2012 Doncaster and apart
from Rangirangdoo (58kg) she gave them
all weight.
5. Pierro – 2012 Sires’ Produce
The champion colt could have had his
2012 Golden Slipper or his 2013 Canterbury Stakes included in this list, but
in the end, his best win was in the Sires’
over 1400m. In this race, despite winning
the Golden Slipper, Pierro was only the
second favourite. The race favourite was
the brilliant colt and Pierro’s great rival All
Too Hard who jumped at $1.50. On this
occasion Pierro easily beat All Too Hard in
a brilliant display that included a breathtaking final two furlongs. All Too Hard went
on to win a further three Group 1 races over
1400m, but on this day over 1400m, Pierro
was unbeatable.
4. Desert War – 2006 Mackinnon
Stakes
Heading into Derby Day 2006, the Melbourne press was somewhat unfriendly. The
critics were sure the Lady Trainer could not
reproduce her Sydney results in Melbourne.
Without taking any notice of the critics at
all, Gai took four horses to Flemington on
Derby Day 2006.
The results… Tuesday Joy won the
Wakeful, Dance Hero won the Salinger and
Aqua D’Amore ran third in the Mackinnon.
But by far the most impressive Waterhouse
runner on the day was Desert War who won
the Mackinnon as effortlessly as you will
ever see a Group 1 over 2000m won. The
champion gelding had the rest of the field
off the bit at around the 800m and from
here it was simply a procession. It was a
great win from a grand campaigner on a
magnificent day.
Gai’s Group 1 Glories cont...
3. Dance Hero – 2004 Golden
Slipper
Behind Dance Hero in the 2004 Golden
Slipper (in order) was Charge Forward,
Alinghi and Fastnet Rock. Dance Hero sat
outside the leader, and kicked away in the
straight to win brilliantly. Charge Forward
ended up winning the Group 1 Galaxy,
Alinghi is rated by Lee Freedman as one of
the best two-year-olds he has ever seen and
Fastnet Rock is now a generation defining
sire. Fastnet Rock also ended up a multiple
Group 1 winner over the sprint trips.
In winning this race, Dance Hero held out
perhaps one of the deepest fields assembled in the great race for many years. The
gelding won ten races in all including the
Triple Crown for two-year-olds, but no win
was completed against a better field than
the 2004 Golden Slipper.
2. Grand Armee – 2004 Queen Elizabeth Stakes
On 17 April 2004 Randwick was packed
with people there to see Lonhro’s farewell
race. The champion WFA warrior was
coming off a dramatic win in the Australian
Photo by Lisa Grimm
Fiorente winning the 2013 Melbourne Cup
34
Cup and an easy win in the George Ryder.
Lonhro jumped at $1.28 while Grand Armee was $7.50.
Lonhro just had one major rival to
account for and the fairy tale would be
complete. Unfortunately, Grand Armee
was not just a rival, the gelding might even
have been Lonhro’s equal. On this day in
this race Grand Armee won by six lengths,
with Lonhro never even looking like getting
close to him. Yes it might have been a little
sad to spoil the party for so many people
who wanted to see Lonhro win, but what
we did see was Grand Armee at his absolute
best. It is hard to think of a horse that has
run in the last ten years in Australia that
would have got past Grand Armee in this
race on this day.
1. Fiorente – The 2013 Melbourne
Cup
Ok so it might be an anticlimax, but how
can you go past a Melbourne Cup? Fiorente
only graced our racetracks eleven times
and he never ran a bad race. He won three
races, and the best of them was no doubt
in the 2013 Melbourne Cup. Many people
listed this as the strongest cup ever run.
There were champion stayers and middle
distance horses all in great form from all
over the world all meeting over the famous
“Before Fiorente, only
three male horses had
ever placed in a Melbourne Cup, and then
come back the next year
to win it ...”
two miles at Flemington. Before Fiorente,
only three male horses had ever placed in
a Melbourne Cup, and then come back the
next year to win it. Gold and Black was
one and he was a good horse, but the other
two were immortal champions Carbine and
Phar Lap. Fiorente had to do something that
only Gold and Black and Australia’s two
greatest ever horses had done. The entire
did it with ease. Well not really, because
Red Cadeaux put up a hell of a fight, but
in the end Fiorente was too strong and too
classy and powered to the line for a historic
victory. ▣
35
No Doubt About It...
Each month as I am preparing to write a piece on two of our yearlings, I look towards horses who are in the stable at present and who really seem to be catching
the attention of our breakers; those who are shining like a neon light at this vital
stage in their preparation. With the Gimcrack and the Breeders’ Plate just around
the corner, now is the time in that those yearlings stand up to be counted. The
following yearlings are completely different in breeding, looks, price tag and race
targets but they couldn’t be more similar in the way that they have commanded
not only our breaker’s attention but also Gai’s attention
By Emma Pearce
and Free Hugs, who was the winner of five
races and over $440,000 in prizemoney.
Woodie is from the family of Dothraki,
winner of the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas
and second placegetter in the Group 2 Pago
Pago Stakes. This cracking filly (Lot 177)
was purchased from the Magic Millions
Gold Coast Sale in January. Born and
raised at George Altimonti’s, supremely successful Corumbene Stud, she was
purchased for a mere $90,000 and quickly
became one of the greatest bargains of
the whole sale. Gai made the following
Not a Single Doubt x Woodie
36
comments when inspecting her for the first
time:
“She is a well grown filly with good rein
and nice length, lovely balance and well
developed forearms.”
Not a Single Doubt x Woodie is in her
third preparation at Tulloch Lodge, having
jumped out on the grass and completed
some three quarter pace work. There is a
special spark about this filly so do not be
surprised when she represents the stable in
the early two-year-old races in the spring
and causes a few heads to turn.
Not a Single Doubt x Woodie
If toughness and tenacity are the makings
of a future champion then this filly will
be unbeatable come race day. Her attitude
towards her work is second to none. From
day one, Not a Single Doubt x Woodie has
had a good idea of what life as a racehorse
is all about and she is ready to get on with
the job. She is sharp and is one of the most
determined yearlings to walk through the
gates of Tulloch Lodge. It is this kind of
gritty determination that makes a talented
horse a champion that is written about time
and time again in the pages of horseracing
history.
She is by Not a Single Doubt, the current
leader of the General 2 Year Old Sires list
by winners, leading the way in front of
Northern Meteor, Snitzel, Fastnet Rock, I’m
Invincible and Sebring. Not a Single Doubt
is a son of the Champion Sire, Redoute’s
Choice, and is a constant source of precocious individuals. Not a Single Doubt was,
himself, a precocious two-year-old winning
the Listed AJC Canonbury Stakes and
placing second in the Magic Millions twoyear-old Classic behind the Golden Slipper
winner, Dance Hero. This year his progeny
include the likes of Group 1 Blue Diamond
winner, Miracles of Life, and the Magic
Millions winner Karuta Queen.
Woodie is already the dam of five foals to
race, of which four are winners, including
the two-year-old stakes placed, Very Cherry
High Chaparral x Viviane
High Chaparral x Viviane
When discussing Breeders’ Plate hopefuls, a High Chaparral colt may not make
the top of your list although switch the
focus towards the Derby, the Epsom and the
Queen Elizabeth and they begin to make
their mark. Lot 334, a High Chaparral colt
out of the Volksraad mare, Viviane was purchased for NZ$200,000 from Windsor Park
Stud at Karaka Premier Sale. Currently in
his third preparation, High Chaparral x Viviane is very forward for this typically later
maturing style of colt and he has the most
professional attitude. He has been completing plenty of barrier work in the bull ring
and has worked around the track here at
Randwick impressing with his lovely long,
fluent stride.
Viviane is a half-sister to Group 1 winners, Sirstaci, Nimue and Smiling Like who
was also Champion Stayer in New Zealand.
She has a pedigree loaded with Black Type
and she is the dam of two foals to race, both
of which are winners. The colt is also bred
on the proven cross of High Chaparral over
Green Desert lined mares which has already
produced Group 1 winner, Wrote (Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Turf USA), Group 2 winner
The Miniver Rose and the Listed winner
Tempest Fugit. It was also highlighted
recently by Western Hymn who won the
Group 2 Grand Prix De Maisons-Laifitte in
France by an impressive three lengths.
We were able to secure the colt for
NZ$200,000 which is great value when you
“The colt is also bred on
the proven cross of High
Chaparral over Green Desert lined mares which has
already produced Group
1 winner, Wrote (Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Turf USA),
Group 2 winner The Miniver Rose and the Listed
winner Tempest Fugit ...”
consider the success that the High Chaparral progeny have achieved not only in Australia but worldwide. He is the sire of ten
individual Group 1 winners and amazingly
his first crop included:
• SO YOU THINK – 10 x Group 1 winner in Australia, Ireland and England.
• SHOOT OUT – won Group 1 Austra-
lian Derby, Group 1 Randwick Guineas,
Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes
• MONACO CONSUL – won Group
1 Victorian Derby and Group 1 Spring
Championship.
• DESCARADO – won Group 1 Caulfield Cup, Group 1 Caulfield Stakes.
Not to mention the latest superstar, It’s A
Dundeel, who was winner of the ThreeYear-Old Triple Crown and retired to stud a
six-time Group 1 winner. Gai’s comments
on the colt were:
“He has got great length and good rein.
He is a lovely bodied colt and moves freely
across the ground. A very striking colt with
plenty of class and upside.”
Whether you are looking for a Gimcrack
filly or a colt to contest the Classics, the
aforementioned colt and filly have ticked
every box and continue to mature into the
exact types of horses that Gai has had so
much success with in the past. Expressions of interest please contact Adrian Bott
[email protected] or Emma
Pearce [email protected] or
phone +61 (0)2 9662 1488.
37
Recent Winners
Photo by Bradley photography
Guitarist
(Savabeel x Midnight Rock)
July 15, 2014
Kembla Grange
HOLCIM AUSTRALIA CLASS 1
July 5, 2014
Newcastle
MAIDEN PLATE 2300m
Santuario
(Purrealist x Zargana)
July 12, 2014
Newcastle
VARLEY GROUP 2YO MAIDEN
PLATE 1200m
38
Pajaro
(Align x Astuto)
June 28, 2014
Rosehill
SIGNIFICANT STAKES 1900m
Photo by Bradley photography
Echo Prince
(Casino Prince x Femme Voleur)
July 20, 2014
Hawkesbury
Turf Drain Australia
2YO maiden plate 1000m
39
Shaftesbury
And fro
om
You ...
Dear Shaftesbury,
Photo by Gary Beecroft
Regular correspondents and owners of
Group 1 winner Dreifontein (above), Dave
and Ingrid Murphy
40
It’s wonderful to hear that you are
doing so well and I know you are looking forward to your race at Kembla
Grange on 19 July.
I’m pleased to hear that you’re getting on so well with young Thomas.
I wonder if he has taught you to say
“Neigh” in French??
Soon you’ll be having a new friend
with you there at Tulloch Lodge, and
I’m sure you’ll be good to him and
look after him well. He is only a baby.
He has the same father as you. As you
know, your father does get around
quite a bit! His mum is very demanding, and she too has been around over
the years. I think Paul King, who has
been on you on the track a few times
lately, used to ride his mum when
he was in Perth. Another of her sons
lives with Mr Hayes in Melbourne and
they are letting him play a new game
called jumping. It’s great fun. They
might let you do it one day when you
are much older. You would get to see
all sorts of interesting places like Warrnambool, and others that are easier
to spell.
It’s good to keep in touch with you,
and having been unable to see you
run at Newcastle and Wyong when
you tried so hard, it will be quite a
thrill for me to see you in action at
Kembla. I’m sure you’ll do well there.
Remember me to your Aunty Gai,
Uncle Adrian and everyone there who
looks after you.
--Your proud owner,
Adrian Roden
Please drop Gai a line @GaiWaterhouse1
Stratum x Flamboyance
Alix Vanny @alixvanny
Met my newest pride & joy at @GaiWaterhouse1 racing stables
yesterday. She is an absolute beauty
#FlamboyantLass
pic.twitter.com/auiCx1Wna7
Round Table Racing @roundtableracng
Thanks @GCTurfClub & our QLD based friends and clients
for a fun day at the races yesterday #black+yellow #givingback
pic.twitter.com/3ZVRBd8OTB
Or, send us an email: [email protected]
41

We Are One... - Gai Waterhouse

Transcription

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