Hampton Court and Duccio Quinella the Dulcify

Transcription

GAI’S GAZETTE
14th Edition /october 2014
Hampton Court and Duccio
Quinella the Dulcify
Cover photo: Need for Steed Aus
EDITOR-IN-CHIEf
Lea Stracey
CONTRIBUTORS
Gai Waterhouse
Rob Waterhouse
Zeb Armstrong
Lea Stracey
Madison Whant
Emma Pearce
Petrea Vela
Joe Callan
James Harron
Adrian Bott
Graphic design & layout
Madison Whant
[email protected]
chief photographer
Bradley Photographers
www.bradleyphotos.com.au
Editorial Photographer
Amanda Wood
Need for Steed Aus
www.needforsteed.com.au
Advertisers
Trivette Aston Martin
Ranvet
Ambassador Travel
Victoria Racing Club
New Zealand Bloodstock
Magic Millions
Coolmore
Bradley Photographers
Round Table Racing
Advertising Manager
Ric Chapman
[email protected]
PrINTERS
Graphic Impressions
4
www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au
GAI’S GAZETTE
T
he Spring Carnival has begun with all its
anticipations and excitement. Edition 14 is
full of information about Gai’s charges and
their goals in the coming months.
“And now for something completely different.” (To
coin a well-worn Monty Python phrase.) I have been
absent from Sydney but racing was never far from
my thoughts. I have, in fact been part of the Sydney
University Archaeological Institute in the Athens
archaeological dig at the ancient site of Zagora which
is a promontory on the Cycladic Greek Island of Andros. Three weeks ago on the other side of the world,
in a quaint tavern in Batsi in Andros I met a young man from Sydney who was also a
volunteer on this dig. Imagine my surprise when he enthusiastically told me that that
morning his mare had dropped a Casino Prince colt. It doesn’t matter where you are in
the world there’s always a connection.
The young man was there for the whole three months, but our exposure was one
week of a fascinating insight into the archaeologist’s world. On this site, the Meltemi
winds had already started and they were violent enough to break the mast of a sailing
yacht that was seeking refuge in the bay below us. I found life on the dig grueling with
this impediment as, because we were digging and the winds were fierce, there was
not an orifice of my body that wasn’t filled with dust. The days comprised of an early
breakfast at 5.30am, a forty minute drive on hairpin bends, and a one hour hike to the
site. Work started at 7am and with two short breaks for lunch and tea, completed at
2:30pm, whereupon we dragged our weary bones up the hill (which took much longer)
and collapsed into the shower before dinner. My job on the dig was to expose an
external wall of what appeared to be a factory of sorts. There were ten trenches full of
enthusiastic second and third year students of archaeology and volunteers like us, each
with a leader. I much preferred my time in the bowels of the museum of Andros where
I washed the mud of two and a half thousand years off the finds from the trenches. This
was also back-breaking work as we were doubled over buckets and weren’t allowed to
scrub but only soak and gently wipe the finds in one direction. The advantage was no
wind, cappuccinos and a regular loo with a door as opposed to a limed long-drop with
Aegean views.
So what connection is there between Ancient Greece and horse racing? The Ancient
Greeks of course loved horse and chariot racing. They raced in a hippodrome which literally means road (dromos) of the horse (hippo), or racetrack. In my travels, specifically
in the Museum on Delos, I saw several horse statues with bareback riders using bridles
and the classical horse image was of a conformation that was strong and majestic.
Horse racing was introduced to Greece by an Englishman called William Reese in
1927 and a race course was built on the outskirts of Athens with Acropolis views. By
the 1960s racing had slipped into a decline in Greece and it wasn’t until the Athens
Olympics that the Greek government was convinced to include a race course as part of
the horse facilities, due to the Olympic Equestrian events. Since then, racing is gaining
a higher profile but it has a long way to go. At this stage, only Greek-bred horses can
race in Greece, but with the interests in racing on the world stage by famous wealthy
Greek families such as Niarchos, Goulandris and Marinopoulos, there is hope that rules
will be changed to entice ownership back home. The new race course is fantastic and is
of the standard of Dubai’s original Nad Al Sheba, being built by the same contractors.
It is also interesting to note that Greek racing has a Tote monopoly. Greece has
500 betting shops which generate 2.6 million euros on race days, three times a week.
Greece may yet be embraced by European racing and it may be sooner rather than later.
Perhaps when this happens, we may one day see a Greek-bred horse join the European
invasion in Melbourne come the first Tuesday in November.
Yassas (good health to you all).
Lea
Editor-in-Chief
Contents
2013 Yearbook of Chinese in Australia
Page 18
Bruce and Angelo Konstantatos
Page 9
Page 6 Performance of the month:
Hampton Court... by Zeb Armstrong
Pages 8-9 From the Pen of the Lady Trainer
Page 10 It’s About the Journey... by Bruce Slade
Pages 12-13
The Sydney Spring Means One Thing... by Zeb Armstrong
Pages 14-15 The Path from Europe to Tulloch Lodge is a well-trodden One... by James Harron
Pages 16-17 European Stayers to Dominate on Aussie Turf... by Bruce Slade
Pages 18-21
“We All Floated as One”... Interview
by Zeb Armstrong
Pages 22-23 Corporate Bookmakers Debate... by Rob Waterhouse
Pages 26-27 Veteran Jockey Neil Paine -
Behind the Scenes at Trackwork... Interview by Zeb Armstrong
Pages 28-29
Gai and Bloodstock Manager, Adrian Bott
Page 16
Spring in Full Swing Across the
Tasman... by Petrea Vela
Pages 30-35
The Best of the Best... by Zeb Armstrong
Page 37 Never a Dull Moment with the Lady
Trainer... by Joe Callan
2YO Trials // Vancouver
Page 8
Page 38 A Morning at the Track with Gai... from the 2014 Darley Flying Start Trainees
Page 39 Bucket List - Come and Join Me... an
invitation from Mark Newnham
Page 40 And from you...
Page 41 Track Snaps... by Need for Steed Aus
Pages 42-43
Recent Winners
Pages 44-45
A Promising Performance... by Emma Pearce
5
Hampton Court winning his first Stakes race
Photos by Lisa Grimm
Gai and international jockey Joao Moreira
Hampton Court
Performance of the Month
By Zeb Armstrong
H
ampton Court has simply been
looking for more ground in his
races and by the time you have
read this dear readers, the colt
would have hopefully run really well in the
2000m Spring Champion Stakes. On Epsom
Saturday the colt, by 2013 / 2014 champion
Australian sire Redoute’s Choice, overcame
a very talented stablemate, and a little bit of
a troublesome run, to win the Dulcify going
away by just under a length. This win was
more than brilliant enough to allow Hampton Court to be awarded the October 2014
Performance of the Month title.
Dulcify, for whom this great race is
named after, was a brilliant horse. After
starting at 300-1 in a lowly maiden in
Adelaide at his first start (he won), the hall
of fame horse went on to win plenty of
great races including the Cox Plate by an
equal record margin. He more than deserves
a race named after him, and it’s a real thrill
for everyone at the stable that the horse
won the race. Hampton Court was ridden
by the international superstar Joao Moreira
and don’t horses simply run for this champion hoop? Joao sat Hampton Court in third
on the fence for the majority of the race,
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but with the talented Duccio out in front
bowling along, it was never going to be a
walk in the park. Early in the straight, Duccio was off and gone and Hampton Court
seemingly looked under pressure. But with
a couple of brisk swishes with the whip,
Joao got the colt’s mind back on the job
and once the gap appeared Hampton Court
“This stamina, together
with the brilliance that
Redoute’s Choice brings
to the pedigree, will
allow this colt to rise to
Group 1 level...”
pounced. Hampton Court was the race favourite, while Duccio was the outsider and
the bookies hope, despite the stable feeling
he had more than a fair chance in the race.
It took a brilliant finishing burst to pick up
Duccio, but once Hampton Court got up
to his stablemate, he really pinned his ears
back and extended through the line.
It was a perfect run leading into a big
2000m Group 1 and a hopeful trip to Vic-
toria, and, as above-mentioned, by the time
you read this, with a bit of luck Hampton
Court would have run really well in future
Group 1 endeavours. Hampton Court is a
progressive colt in the truest sense. He has
developed rapidly after winning as a twoyear-old last season and he is getting better
and better with age.
It is interesting that the colt’s third dam
also appears on the dam’s side of Makybe
Diva’s pedigree chart. He is of course by
the super sire Redoute’s Choice, but he does
have plenty of stamina through his pedigree
chart on his dam’s side. This stamina,
together with the brilliance that Redoute’s
Choice brings to the pedigree, will allow
this colt to rise to Group 1 level over the
2000m and he will run with distinction.
Stay tuned!
Congratulations to all the owners of this
colt. He is now a Stakes winner and he is
getting better and better. Well done also to
Joao. Joao lobbed into Australia and quickly racked up a winning treble on Sydney’s
biggest day of spring racing. This was a
remarkable effort by both horse and rider
and the future looks very promising for this
horse indeed.▣
Gai and assistant trainer, Mark Newnham
discussing the trials with jockey Tim Clark
From the Pen of the
Lady Trainer
T
o keep my horses fresh during
this long period of big races I
change their work as much as
possible. I liken it to a human.
If you got up, ate an apple and some corn
flakes and did the exact same thing every
day, you would get sick of it. The horses,
eventually, don’t put in 100% effort because
they are aware of exactly what they will be
asked to do. Their work has to be mixed up
in order for them to keep producing results
in the big races. The beach and the pool are
two crucial aspects to my training.
My horses have always loved swimming
and I have been swimming horses as often
as possible for as long as I can remember.
TJ too. At trackwork, sometimes I might
lead off with another horse and get a horse
to chase, or I might send two horses off
together to work side by side. It all depends
on the situation and what each individual
horse requires to help it reach its potential.
Later in this issue, Neil Paine will take you
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even further behind the scenes at trackwork
and explain how our trackwork rituals
work. Variation is definitely a huge factor
in my success and with so many new twoyear-olds stepping out as we speak, there
will be plenty more chances to unveil a
champion. A champion, just like a maiden,
“I have several horses
this year that I think can
make the quantum leap
to the Cox Plate...”
needs their work mixed up. So, rest assured
dear owners, every horse gets a varied
programme and I will continue to use this
variation to try and unlock the best that
each horse can possibly achieve.
I am not adverse to starting a good horse
in weaker company. Grand Armee won
almost $5.5 million in prize money, and
he started his career in a seventeen horse
maiden at Newcastle. He strolled in from
last by three lengths and was set on a path
towards greatness.
Bentley Biscuit started his career at
Kembla Grange, another provincial track,
and won by eight and a half lengths with
Mark Newnham aboard. After this, the
gelding won many Group 1, 2 and 3 races
and even made the trip to Royal Ascot.
In these weaker races, horses can make
a mistake and still win. If they are taken
to the city races too soon and they make
mistakes, they usually run a nice fourth or
fifth. But, in the weaker races, a horse can
still win and therefore have a major boost in
confidence.
If you iron out the creases early, once
a horse makes it to, hopefully Group 1
level, they will have rounded experience
and more of a chance to run a perfect race,
which is essential to win at the top level.
Talisa (Manhattan Rain x Lustre Lady) is a
perfect example of what I am talking about.
This filly was not doing much on wet
tracks, then all of a sudden, back on a dry
track in a maiden at Hawkesbury, she puts
in a great run and wins very convincingly.
I now know where she is best placed and
know her racing patterns for her to move
on to bigger and better things. Onwards and
upwards.
Then there is Almalad (Al Maher x Ilhaam). This gelding, by one of my favourite
sires, is ticking along beautifully. Almalad
is an example of the type of horse that I
have been talking about. His goal is the
Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate and while
it is a hard double to achieve, it is a wellworn path. Dad’s horse, Red Anchor, won
the double and horses like Manhattan Rain
and Pierro have performed well in both.
Rarely do I have my breath taken away
by a performance of a horse not on raceday. But the 2012 Golden Slipper winner
Overreach (Exceed And Excel x Bahia) left
me scratching my head at the trials on 19
September. The mare jumped perfectly in
her trial, showing her brilliant gate speed
and won her trial hard held by six lengths.
I can’t wait for her to race in the Schillaci
Stakes at Caulfield.
And finally, just as I am finishing up
my article, the first official two-year-old
trials have taken place. I have made no
secret through my blog of my passion for
the young horses and my want for more
trials and more feature spring races for the
juveniles. The Widden and the Canonbury
Stakes for two-year-old fillies, colts and
geldings were once great spring features
and they absolutely have to be moved back
to the spring. At the trials on 21 September
a colt and a gelding really took my fancy.
The gelding Brooklyn (Hinchinbrook x
Believe ‘n Achieve) won his trial nicely
from a highly rated stablemate while the
colt Vancouver (Medaglia D’oro x Skates),
too, was very professional and did everything right, and in fact proceeded to win the
Breeders’ Plate just recently. Overall, all my
two-year-old trial horses showed their usual
professionalism and many look to have the
world at their feet.
This is what it is all about. With every
two-year-old comes a chance… a chance of
a champion, a chance of a Group 1 winner,
a chance of future glory. Stay tuned to see
how they all end up.
See you in the Winner’s Circle.
Gai. ▣
Brooklyn at the trials
Photo by Need for Steed Aus
“The gelding Brooklyn
(Hinchinbrook x Believe
‘n Achieve) won his trial
nicely from a highly
rated stablemate while
the colt Vancouver
Medaglia D’oro x Skates),
too, was very
professional and did
everything right...”
Photo by Lisa Grimm
Vancouver winning the 2014 Breeders’ Plate
“Overall, all my
two-year-old
trial horses showed
their usual
professionalism and
many look to have the
world at their feet.
This is what it is all
about. With every
two-year-old comes a
chance...”
9
It’s About the Journey...
T
By Bruce Slade
10
we ensure that our clients have the BIGGEST THRILLS and the BIGGEST WINS.
Developing This Further:
My fiance Natasha (Tash), is a big part of
Round Table Racing and she came to me to
say last month that she wanted to manage
the Exceed and Excel filly we just recently
put on the market.
The filly is a little bit special so, quite
stunned, I asked “why?” Her answer was
frank, “I can do it better.” (We all know
the song that goes with it.) Her argument
was that the RTR racing ‘wider experience’
could be done a lot better from a women’s
perspective, so together we developed the
following:
Something different, for the LADIES
ONLY:
Tash and I would like to invite you to be
a part of something a little different. You
see, Tash is always telling me we could do
it better for the ladies. Instead of focussing
on just the racing and punting, Tash wants
to highlight, and make the most of, the finer
things in and around racing - like fashion
and millinery.
Tash is in Charge:
Bringing together everything mentioned
above, Tash is going to take control of
the social calendar and social communication relating to the Exceed and Excel x
Undercover filly we have just placed on the
market.
Given the filly’s size, strength and precocity, she fits the perfect profile to give her
owners a great opportunity to have a hell of
a lot of fun sooner rather than later.
Tash would like to get a group of ladies
together to race the filly and she is going
to make sure everyone has the best time
possible.
How will it work?
The filly will be syndicated and managed by Round Table Racing but Tash is
in charge of organising all of the social
events for the ladies involved in the filly’s
ownership.
Here is what she has planned already:
• Sydney - Spring Carnival High Tea mid-October - a chance for everyone
to meet
• Melbourne - Melbourne Cup lunch Monday, 3 November
• Melbourne - Ladies Day at Flemington
(corporate box) - Saturday, 13
December
• Gold Coast - Magic Millions Ladies
Luncheon - Tuesday, 6 January
• Gold Coast - Magic Millions Fashions
on the Field - Saturday, 10 January
• Sydney - Ladies Autumn Fashion High
Tea - late Feb to early March
Gai Waterhouse Says YES
Gai just loves the idea and she said she
would be doing everything she could to attend as many of these functions as possible.
So, if you think you, your wife, sister,
girlfriend, mum or aunt might enjoy this
little bit of extra fun, along with a share in a
very smart filly, please make contact.
I know Tash very well and I have a
feeling this could be the start of something
BIG!
Just say YES!
Regards,
Bruce Slade (0400505238) ▣
Exceed and Excel x Undercover
here is no doubt that the greatest
satisfaction I get out of my role as
a syndicator is having a hand in
another person’s win or success.
That moment when an owner turns to you
and says, “thank you for giving us such a
great day,” or, “this is the biggest buzz of
my life,” is very satisfying. The more of
that the better, and therein lies our motivation to buy lots of fast racehorses for Gai
to train.
In early September I was lucky enough to
attend The Entourage’s UNCONVENTION
on Saturday morning at the Sydney Town
Hall.
Aimed at entrepreneurs under 40, the
convention saw some of Australia’s leading
‘outside the square’ thinkers, all successful business owners, giving insight into
developing great businesses and delivering
great service.
I came away energised and inspired, but
the biggest thing that I learned, which I
would like to share with you all, is Mark
Bouris’ Kerry Packer story which revealed
to me that Round Table Racing is far more
than a racehorse syndication business.
Yes, we offer shares in the best young
racing prospects, but more than that, we
offer:
• A journey through each horse’s development and progress
• A great many experiences - on and off
the racetrack
• Everything social, making plenty more
friends and joining a new ‘family’
• Networking with successful people
from all industries and all walks of life
• Fashion - the opportunity to wear your
best, look your best and feel your best
• Emotion - mountain highs, hugs, high
fiving, tears, laughter, hearts pumping,
butterflies, you name it!
• Continuation of the horse-human
co-relationship which has existed for
6000 years
• An escape from the pressures of work
or home life
• The ability to change your life - major
race win or not
• Further education and information on
the industry we all love
• Fun for the whole family
• And lots more....
As mentioned above, the fact is, Round
Table Racing exists for one reason, to have
a hand in our owners’ success. By engaging
our owners in the ‘wider benefits’ of racing,
Photo by Bradley Photographers
Desert War winning the
2004 Epsom Handicap
The Sydney Spring Means
One Thing...
By Zeb Armstrong
T
he Sydney spring is traditionally the pipe opener for first the
Caulfield Cup Carnival, then the
Cox Plate Carnival before the
nation stopping Melbourne Cup Carnival.
From early September, the Sydney Spring
is up and running with excitement aplenty.
Before the coming of the Golden Rose
(Group 1 status as of 2009), there were five
main Group 1 targets in the Sydney Spring.
They are the George Main Stakes (1600m
WFA), the Metropolitan Handicap (2400m
open handicap), the Flight Stakes (1600m
for three-year-old fillies at set weights),
the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m for
three-year-olds at set weights) and the
crown in the jewel, the Epsom Handicap
(1600m open handicap). As this edition of
Gai’s Gazette is going to print, these races
will have been run and won again, but for
the meantime, let’s concentrate on the last
twenty years, the time that Gai has been
training.
These five races have been run and won
twenty times since Gai first burst onto the
scene in 1992. Now 1992 – 2013 equals
twenty one editions of each of the five
races, but we have to deduct one year due
to the EI outbreak in 2007. Therefore the
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five races have been run twenty times each,
which makes a total of 100 races at Group
1 level over the last twenty years in the
Sydney Spring. Of these 100 races, Gai has
won twenty nine. Yes, twenty nine out of
100. Twenty nine percent of all the Group
1 races held during the Sydney Spring (less
the newly formed Golden Rose) have been
won by one trainer. The Lady Trainer Gai
Waterhouse. Remarkable.
Here is the tale of the tape. Gai has
won the George Main four times which is
the most by any trainer in recent history.
However, Gai still has a little work to do to
match TJ’s eleven George Main winners!
Gai has saddled up Juggler (1996), Grand
Armee (2004), Mr Celebrity (2005) and
More Joyous (2010) to win the George
Main. When More Joyous won the race she
became the first mare to salute in the great
race in fourteen years.
Gai has won seven of the last twenty
editions of the Flight Stakes making her the
most successful trainer of winners in this
great race. Assertive Lass (1996), Danglissa (1999), Ha Ha (2001), Lotteria (2004),
Fashions Afield (2005), Cheeky Choice
(2006) and More Joyous (2009) are Gai’s
seven winners. All seven of these girls have
won many more feature races and it is not
surprising due to the fact that, throughout
the history of this race, only the best of the
best fillies seem to have been able to peak
over a mile so early in the spring. A quick
look through the history of the Flight Stakes
reveals the names of many-a-gun filly. Gai
has seven and with plenty of chances this
year, don’t expect the Lady Trainer’s record
to stay at seven for long.
Since 1983, Gai is the equal most winning trainer of the Spring Champion Stakes
with three. The Lady Trainer has won the
race with Nothin’ Leica Dane (1995), Magic of Sydney (1996) and Platinum Scissors
(2002). This race over 2000m is a perfect
warm up for the VRC Derby and even the
Cox Plate and once or twice over the years,
the Melbourne Cup.
Only recently has the racing world caught
on to the fact that Gai is a tremendous trainer of stayers. However, it is not just with
the coming of Fiorente and the European
brigade that Gai has excelled as a trainer of
stayers. Since 1992, Gai has won Sydney’s
second best staying race (the clear number
one for the spring), the Metropolitan Handicap, a record eight times which is four
times as many wins as the next most
successful trainer in the race since 1983.
Gai’s eight winners in the race to date are
Te Akau Nick (1992), Electronic (1995),
Hula Flight (1996), In Joyment (1998),
Coco Cabanna (2000), Dress Circle (2001),
Herculian Prince (2010) and Glencadam
Gold (2012). Gai’s first ever starter in a
Group 1 race was Te Akau Nick in the
Metropolitan in 1992. He won, thus setting
Gai on an almost unmatched Group 1 run
over the next twenty years.
The Epsom Handicap is the jewel in the
Sydney Spring. It is run over the famous
mile at Royal Randwick and has been won
by many of the best milers Australia has
ever seen including Super Impose and Gunsynd. Gai has won the race on seven occasions which includes Desert War’s historic
back to back wins in 2004 – 2005. Desert
War also ran second in 2006 when he was
trying to become the only horse to ever win
the Epsom on three occasions. Gai’s seven
wins in this race since 1983 are five more
than the next most successful trainer and
it’s a record that does not look like being
broken for at least the next 50 years. As
well as Desert War, Gai has saddled up Iron
Horse (1997), Excellerator (2002), Theseo
(2008), Rock Kingdom (2009) and Fat Al
(2012) to win the great race.
Gai is the most successful trainer of
Group 1 winners in the Sydney Spring
since the Group and Listed system came
into Australian racing in the late 1970s.
Twenty nine out of 100 is a remarkable
record and the Lady Trainer has absolutely
no plans of slowing down. ▣
Fat Al winning the 2012 Epsom Handicap
(Top to bottom) Gai-trained
Epsom Handicap winners Rock
Kingdom, Iron Horse and
Excellerator.
Photos by Bradley Photographers
13
The Path from Europe to Tulloch
Lodge is a well-trodden one
By James Harron
European stayer and Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente
T
he path from Europe to Tulloch
Lodge is now a well-trodden one.
With the likes of Fiorente, Glencadam Gold and The Offer, all
Group 1 winners purchased in Europe, this
is a source of racehorses of the very highest
order and is a market which cannot be ignored by those wishing to race horses in the
very best races. There are many potential
factors behind this European dominance.
Firstly, European horses are trained very
differently to their Australian counterparts.
The huge training centres found in such historic locations as Newmarket in England,
the Curragh in Ireland and Chantilly in
France see horses generally ridden for up
to an hour a day. For instance, in Newmarket, horses will walk through the town
every morning to get to the gallops, large
open tracks of land, which are generally
of a stiff, uphill variety. This set up allows
trainers to put a great deal of long, slow
work into the horses, building tremendous
stamina, rather than the racetrack train-
14
ing of Australia which is more set up for
generating explosive speed in the horses
trained there. This fusion is what makes
horses from Europe who come to Australia
improve. Their residual training for, generally, the first two years of their racing life,
combines explosively with the Australian
“The Thoroughbred
exists because its selection has depended, not
on experts, technicians,
or zoologists, but on a
piece of wood - the
winning post of the
Epsom Derby...”
trainers’ skill in training sheer speed into
their horses. Take Fiorente for example, a
very good 2400m horse in Europe, but a
2400m horse nonetheless. Moving him to
Australia allowed Gai to develop speed in
this horse that he simply didn’t have before.
Class he had in abundance, but it was the
Australian training methods which allowed
him to develop the speed he so dramatically
demonstrated on the track, storming home
to win at weight for age over 1600m.
Another factor is the breeding lines of
Europe. There is a great quote from the
legendary Italian breeder Federico Tesio.
He said, “The Thoroughbred exists because
its selection has depended, not on experts,
technicians, or zoologists, but on a piece
of wood - the winning post of the Epsom
Derby.” As its long history has evolved,
beginning as early as 1174, European horse
racing has become obsessed with racing
over their classic distance of 2400m. Early
racing in Europe focussed on even more
extreme distances, with the first great
racehorse, Eclipse, foaled in 1764, regularly
competing in races over 6400m! As things
progressed, 2400m has emerged as the distance of choice in Europe. This is evidenced
by the most expensive stallion in Europe,
Galileo, who was at his best at the Derby
distance, providing his great sire, Sadler’s
Wells, with the first of his two Epsom
Derby winners, High Chaparral repeating
the feat the following season. With breeding
in Europe so focussed on middle-distance
horses, it should come as no surprise that
they breed a superior stayer. They’ve had
over 800 years to perfect their craft! Australian racing has taken a different direction,
one focussed on precocity and speed, with
the Golden Slipper the race which every
owner dreams of one day winning. That
said, there has been a renewed focus on
the staying races very recently, and with
Fiorente proving in demand when it came
to selling him as a stallion, it is clear that
there is a good demand for these classy
European horses as stallions, giving further
potential reward when it comes to investing
in a tried horse from overseas.
On a related point, there is no doubt that
the European racehorse is a later developing sort than its Australian counterpart.
Middle-distance horses in Europe are
generally bought along very slowly, as low
prize money and unforgiving handicappers
mean that a horse has very few chances
to earn a good prize money ticket. As the
handicap mark a horse receives is crucial
in shaping its racing future, horses are
developed steadily, meaning that most don’t
reach their peak until they reach four or older. This is different to Australia, where the
outstanding prize money means that horses
are competitive right from the get-go. This
“Middle-distance horses
in Europe are generally
bought along very
slowly, as low prize
money and unforgiving
handicappers mean that
a horse has very few
chances to earn a good
prize money ticket...”
combination of later developing horses and
outstanding prize money has been used to
unbelievable effect by Gai with European
imports. Fiorente had earned $197,814 in
two seasons racing in Europe. With his
attentions turned to Australia, he earned
$900,000 on his very first start when second
in the Cup, and went on to amass a further
$5,168,500, racing at the highest level in
Australia. Other success stories highlight
this point. Julienas more than doubled his
earnings in Australia, while Glencadam
Gold had earned just $23,054 in England,
compared to a whopping $622,331 earned
in Australia.
Another advantage that the purchase of
a tried horse from Europe offers is a quick
return and immediate action.
Investing in an Australian-bred stayer,
while giving great options in terms of the
three-year-old staying events for which
European horses are ineligible, means that
generally the wait for action on the racetrack is a year or more. A European stayer
is generally ready to run in the carnival
after which they arrive, giving a much
shorter lead time in terms of action for your
money!
In terms of a trainer to train these imports, Gai’s record speaks for itself. She did
an outstanding job with Fiorente, developing him not only into one of Australia’s
leading money earners of all time, but a
stallion prospect in great demand. The path
from Europe to Tulloch Lodge is one which
is sure to see further footfall in the coming
seasons and it is a short hop to the Winner’s
Circle from there. ▣
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
15
European Stayers Set to
Dominate on Aussie Turf
A look at the dominance of European Stayers in the Australian Spring Carnival
by Waterhouse Bloodstock Manager, Adrian Bott
By Adrian Bott
T
he Carnival is steadily building
momentum, as is the charge
of Gai’s quest for a second
Melbourne Cup. The current
Melbourne Cup favourite, THE OFFER,
has returned in sensational order in his two
starts this preparation and he is right on
target for the first Tuesday in November.
THE OFFER is a product of the Tattersalls
Horses in Training Sale, a sale in which Gai
has had tremendous success. He races as
part of the UK Stayers’ Syndicate that was
first introduced by Bruce Slade in 2011 and
Gai’s record with the European imports for
the three syndicates to date speaks for itself.
Her success includes the following Stakes
horses:
1. GLENCADAM GOLD
Purchased out of the 2011 Tattersalls
Horses in Training Sale. He adapted quickly
to the Australian racing conditions and
he amazingly won his first four starts in
Australia, which included the Group 1
Metropolitan Handicap and culminated
with a sixth placing in the Melbourne Cup.
GLENCADAM GOLD possesses a high
cruising speed and his ability to quicken off
that speed is his greatest asset, which is the
exact type of horse that thrives under Gai’s
training.
2. JULIENAS
Also purchased out of the 2011 Tattersalls
Sale. He went very close to emulating
GLENCADAM GOLD by finishing second
in the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap in
2013, which would have made it back-toback wins for the 2011 Stayers’ Syndicate.
He is a multiple Listed and Group winner in
his own right and he has been another hugely successful part of the 2011 syndicate.
3. THE OFFER
Purchased out of the 2012 Tattersalls Sale
16
as one of three horses for the syndicate that
year. It took THE OFFER an additional
preparation to fully acclimatise and finally,
a gelding operation, which saw him turn
his form around. His first Stakes success
came in the Listed Ballarat Cup before he
returned for a successful Group 1 Sydney
Cup campaign and he has now won over $1
million in prize money in Australia for the
2012 syndicate.
4. GREATWOOD
Purchased out of the 2013 Tattersalls sale,
he was the first stakes winner for the syndicate winning the Listed Premiere Stakes
in his first preparation. He was purchased
as a three-year-old gelding out of the sale
and still has plenty of physical development
potential. He will thrive with some time in
the paddock over the spring / summer and
he will return a much stronger horse next
campaign, which already has the syndicate
excited.
5. BONFIRE
Purchased out of the 2013 Tattersalls sale
and the second of the two horses to race for
the syndicate. BONFIRE came over as the
most well-credentialed horse having won
the Group 2 Dante Stakes, however, he also
came with some baggage. After his win in
the Dante Stakes it was well documented that he had trained off and was very
difficult to do anything with. With a change
in environment and some time out in the
paddock he found a new lease on life, not
to mention a Group 3 and a Listed placing.
He has been a great personality around the
stable and Gai has gotten a real kick out of
training him.
With the success of the three previous
Stayers’ Syndicates, we will again attend
the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale at the
end of this month. Both Rob and Gai have
proven that they have an extremely successful system in place in order to identify the
best staying prospects out of the sale. For
the first time this year, we will also look to
the premium French sale, the Arqana Arc
Sale for select horses in training. It is a sale
that comprises of over 50 of the best performed horses throughout France and it has
produced horses to race successfully at the
top level in Australia, including the likes of
PUISSANCE DU LUNE.
In another first this year on the international stage, Gai purchased two horses
from the Goffs London sale which is held
on the eve of the Royal Ascot Carnival and
includes horses with entries over the meeting. The two successful purchases included
CAFÉ SOCIETY and PORNICHET who
both then went on to compete on the international stage and represent the stable in the
Group 3 Wolferton Handicap and the Group
1 Belmont Derby respectively.
CAFÉ SOCIETY has just recently landed
in Australia with the first shipment of
Carnival horses and he is stationed at Werribee quarantine centre. He has passed the
qualifying clause for the Melbourne Cup,
however, he will require a penalty if he is
to make it into this year’s Melbourne Cup
field. Races such as the Geelong Cup and
the Moonee Valley Cup have been used successfully in previous years by the visiting
European horses en route to the Melbourne
Cup. Both AMERICAIN and DUNADEN
won the Geelong Cup before progressing
to victories in the Melbourne Cup in 2010
and 2011 respectively. A win in either race
would likely see CAFÉ SOCIETY get a
weight penalty to make it into the Cup.
Alternatively, a win in either the Group
1 MacKinnon Stakes over 2000m or the
Group 3 Lexus Stakes over 2500m, on Derby Day, will mean that CAFÉ SOCIETY is
exempt from ballot in the Melbourne Cup.
The Lexus Stakes was the path used by
Greatwood and Bonfire at Randwick
SHOCKING on his way to victory in 2009
Melbourne Cup.
CAFÉ SOCIETY looks to be the ideal
type to be successful in the Melbourne Cup
due to his superior turn of foot. His run in
the Group 3 Wolferton Handicap at Royal
Ascot, for his new owners, was full of merit
when he settled towards the rear of the
field in what was a slowly run race, before
letting down strongly to make up a lot of
ground to finish third. Interestingly, the
winner of the race, CONTRIBUTER, was
purchased privately by Godolphin after the
race and he has arrived in Australia on the
same shipment as CAFÉ SOCIETY. He will
now be under the guidance of John O’Shea
and the pair could likely meet again in the
Melbourne Cup.
PORNICHET arrived in Australia earlier
than CAFÉ SOCIETY and he came straight
into Tulloch Lodge after a short let-up at the
National Stud in England. He was identified
as a progressive three-year-old colt after his
third placing in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai
des Poulains, a race for the three-year-old
colts over 1600m. Historically, it has been
a stallion making race for the European
horses with previous winners including
KINGMAMBO, DAYLAMI, SHAMARDAL and more recently, LOPE DE
VEGA. As you would expect, the form out
of that race has stood up considerably well.
MUWAARY trained on to run second at
Royal Ascot in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes,
before finishing three lengths off the boom
three-year-old colt, CHARM SPIRIT, in
“With the success of the
three previous Stayers’
Syndicates, we will
again attend the Tattersalls Horses in Training
Sale at the end of this
month...”
the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat over 1600m.
GIOVANNI BOLDINI also trained on to
run a strong third placing in the Group 3
Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, followed by
back-to-back wins at Listed level in Ireland.
SALAI, who finished eighth behind PORNICHET, went within three-quarters of a
length of CHARM SPIRIT in the Group 3
Prix Paul De Moussac, who then went on to
record multiple Group 1 victories.
With this in mind, PORNICHET is likely
to be given a light spring, with the focus
being on his autumn campaign. Given the
strength of his form being around some of
the best milers in France, races such as the
Group 1 Australian Cup over 2000m and
the $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth
also over 2000m during The Championships, look like ideal prospects. However,
in the interim, we are likely to see PORNICHET trial in Sydney in mid-October
before travelling to Melbourne for a first-up
run over the carnival.
For Australians across the globe, The
Melbourne Cup is the jewel in the crown,
the pièce de résistance, or, to put it simply,
the one that we all want. In recent times
there has been a clear dominance in the race
by the European imports with the first five
home in 2012 and the first eight home in
2013, being European bred. Whether it’s
a European private purchase, a Tattersalls
Horses in Training Sale purchase or an
Arqana Arc Sale purchase, this is, and
will remain, a phenomenal source of Cups
winners. ▣
17
(Middle) Barry and Anne Pang holding the 2013 Melbourne Cup
2013 Yearbook of Chinese in Australia
“We All Floated as One”
Chinese Australian owner, Barry Pang recounts his elation at sharing in the
success of Fiorente’s 2013 Melbourne Cup win, growing up in post-WW2
Australia and his future stable propsects
Interview by Zeb Armstrong
With a few minutes of internet research,
one can discover that you are listed as
a ‘Chinese Australian.’ But with a name
like Barry, it seems fair to assume that
perhaps you are a born and bred Australian with Chinese parents. Do you
have any idea why your parents moved
to Australia? Were you in fact born in
Australia?
Yes, I was most definitely born in Australia.
Both my parents are from Canton, which is
a province in Southern China. Back when
my parents lived there (just before WWII)
there was very limited opportunity throughout the villages. Australia was known to the
Chinese at the time as ‘the big gold moun-
18
tain,’ based on the stories of those who had
returned from the Gold Rush during the
mid-nineteenth century. It was the land of
opportunity and my parents made their way
here to seek a better life.
Growing up during the height of the
Cold War (China of course being a
relatively hard line Communist nation
during the twentieth century), how did
the other kids at primary school take to
a boy that looked a little different?
At the start I was a little bit intimidated,
but in the end, I was just one of plenty
who had to endure an initiation of sorts. I
was perhaps lucky, because while I looked
different and was certainly the only Chinese
boy at my school, there were plenty of
Jewish kids from Poland, Hungary and
other European nations. It was quite a multicultural school and eventually we all had
our groups of friends. Football and cricket
ruled the school yard as they still do today
and participation was the key. You earned
respect from your school mates based on
your performance at lunchtime! Before too
long the other kids had no problem with me
being the only Chinese student. I actually
have a couple of school reunions coming
up soon. I certainly don’t have any racially
related emotional scars from my time at
school in Australia.
During your young days, it is hard
to imagine that the bullies and the
ignorant people would have made a
distinction between a Chinese boy and
a Japanese boy, despite the fact that
China and Japan were World War II enemies. Did growing up after World War
II in a nation that had fought doggedly
against Japan add to any racial vilification you may have experienced?
Yes. Most Australians could not tell the difference between the Japanese, the Koreans
and the Chinese. It was mostly in the street
and not at school, but yes, I did experience
a little bit of the ‘nip nip nip’ calls from
strangers (mostly adults), but again the kids
generally welcomed me for who I was rather than how I looked. At the time, you are
right, the Chinese had just fought a fierce
set of battles with Japan, as Australia did.
Just because both nations were made up of
Asian people that looked similar, it does
not mean they were the same in terms of
ideology, political views or anything really.
Japan and China were mortal enemies in
WWII.
Of all the people we have interviewed
in Gai’s Gazette, you are definitely
the first to have been related to the
legendary Bruce Lee! Can you explain
your family’s connection with the iconic
film star?
Canton was full of hundreds of little
villages. Clan villages. The surnames that
you still hear today like Lee, Chan, Wong
and so on made up the clans and thus the
villages. Bruce Lee’s father grew up two
doors down from my mother. Lee’s father
and my mother were also second cousins
(my mother was a member of the Lee clan).
So we have a neighbourhood relationship
and a family connection. Bruce Lee was an
inspiration to all Chinese people, especially
those who left China for the United States
and Australia.
Apart from being a Melbourne Cup
winning owner, you are probably
best known throughout Australia as a
martial arts expert. Can you tell us how
you got into martial arts, what branch
you specialise in and a little about your
business?
In the 1960s all our Chinese heroes in our
childrens comic books specialised in Kung
Fu. Then there were the Bond movies.
While there were plenty of fast cars, leggy
women and gun fights, there also were a lot
of hand to hand Kung Fu fighting scenes.
As a young boy, this is how I gathered an
interest in the sport. Once I finished University, I came back from Hong Kong and had
no employment. A friend said I should teach
Kung Fu. Now, please let me clarify. Kung
Fu is Chinese for ‘Martial Arts’. There are
therefore many different styles and facets of
Kung Fu. The Japanese martial arts all have
independent names, but the Chinese wanted
to keep their styles secret, especially from
the Japanese. I just wanted to practice when
I returned from Hong Kong, but I was
persuaded to start teaching and because of
the secrecy that surrounds Kung Fu, a few
of the Chinese elders were not happy that I
was ‘spreading the word’. I was promised
30 students but only four turned up for
the first class. However, over time it just
grew and grew and became quite popular.
Bruce Lee had to hear about his supposed
‘revealing of the secrets’ when he first
emerged in the United States. However, as
he showed, the sky is the limit with Kung
Fu, you can do anything with it, much the
same as racing.
Gai and Barry. How did you get involved with the Lady Trainer? What was
your first horse that Gai trained?
My wife Anne and Gai get along like
a house on fire. They are both the best
at what they do (Anne may well be the
best female Martial Artist on earth) and
it seemed just perfect that they became
friends. We have had horses for a long
time, but it was not until June a few years
back that we got involved with Gai. I was
punting with Tom Waterhouse who put me
in touch with Gai after I showed an interest
in racing again. I was invited by Rob and
Gai to dinner in Sydney and Gai went
through the horses she had left for sale. It
was after the major sales so most of the
Magic Millions yearlings had been sold and
there were only a couple of Easter yearlings
remaining. We bought into four yearlings
that included Landing and Tohunga. And
that was that. We have not looked back.
Gai does it better with her owners than
any other trainer I have ever raced with. I
remember in the 80s, it was roughly $100
per day for a horse in training. Gai, now,
only charges slightly more than that despite
it being over 30 years later. Also, Gai finds
horses that are usually quite affordable.
The price for yearlings has not really gone
up for a long time, but prize money has
increased six-fold. Gai is the best at getting
the most out of every horse she trains.
How would you describe your relationship with Gai? She certainly has an abil-
ity to know even the smallest insignificant details about her owners. Maybe
Gai might enjoy a Kung Fu lesson?
My relationship with Gai is fantastic. Just
the other day I was overseas and I text
messaged Gai for her birthday. It must have
been around 1.30am in Australia. Well, Gai
fired a text straight back saying thank you
and was immediately talking racing. All this
at 1.30am! Gai would be fantastic at Kung
Fu. She certainly has the discipline, the will
to win and she strives to be the absolute
best she can be at everything she does.
Can you describe the feeling you experienced at around the 400m mark when
Oliver moved Fiorente out and had a
lap full of horse? It was from here that
he looked the horse to beat in the 2013
Melbourne Cup?
Although there was still two furlongs to
run, it did indeed look like Fiorente was
the one to beat at that stage. I can’t really
explain the feeling. It is hard to even talk
about to anyone who has not experienced
it. It is like you are floating on cloud nine.
No matter what anyone says, winning this
race is different to winning any other race,
maybe on earth. Fiorente hit the lead and
we all floated as one. I guarantee you it was
not silent (screams galore) but it was almost
as if I was floating in a still position while
watching this striking son of Monsun hit the
lead and win. It is the best feeling in racing.
That is for sure.
Is racing to you a hobby or an investment opportunity?
It is a hobby first and foremost, but if you
are lucky and very dedicated it can become
an investment opportunity. When you buy a
share (a stock), any share, you can look on
the computer screen and follow the company’s progress, but it is hardly fun! It can of
course be very profitable, but it is nothing
compared to socialising with Gai and her
team and watching and betting on your
favourite horses. I would sum up racing as a
gateway to so many other great things. You
gain this gateway while having the time of
your life and yes, you can make money out
of it. A perfect situation in my opinion.
Is China opening up in regards to gambling? If 1 in every 56 Chinese people
had a bet on the Melbourne Cup, it
would be equivalent to every single
man, woman and child in Australia
betting on the race. Australian racing
seems to have a huge opportunity with
China being both so close geographiwww.gaiwaterhouse.com.au
19
We All Floated as One cont...
2013 Yearbook of
Chinese in Australia
cally and a huge trading partner.
It was looking good, but the Chinese Prime
Minister has done a major backflip in
regards to gambling. There were some race
meetings held in China recently, but the
crowds were very low because there was no
gambling. But, this is not the worst thing
for Australian racing.
China has plenty of billionaires and many
millionaires that live in huge cities where
they are anonymous. Some have created
wealth through large holdings of rural
property or manufacturing but have lacked
education and social status which they try
to seek in the West. What better way than
through The Sport of Kings! They can send
their kids to the best school and have ten
luxury cars, but if they own the winner of
the Ascot Gold Cup, they will be presented
the trophy by Queen Elizabeth. This is how
you get status in China and you can eventually promote your business using this status.
I think that the Chinese will end up being
like those from the Arab Emirates. They
will send good horses out of their country
to Australia in the hope of success. If a
billionaire buys 100 horses, at least some
should be ok, and it is not about the prize
money. It is about the prestige and the
status that comes with winning the biggest
races in the world. Plenty of wealthy Chinese citizens are looking towards Australian
racing and the Melbourne Cup as a way
to gain status and as a way to spend some
money in the hope of some great fun.
Back to the Chinese Prime Minister, I
think it will be ten years before the thought
of racing with punting is revisited, especially if this Prime Minister holds on for
ten years, as he most likely will. The China
Horse Club gave the country a big hope
recently and I would think more and more
organisations like this one will pop up over
the next few years.
Bart and Dato, now Gai and Barry? You,
surely, are the first man of Chinese descent to have won the Melbourne Cup
(Dato is Malaysian). Do they know this
in China? Rumour has it there is a new
book of Australian accomplishments
by Chinese Australians being sent to
Beijing as we speak?
There is a book called the ‘2013 Yearbook
of Chinese in Australia’ (pictured above),
which showcases local Chinese contributions to Australian society over the past 200
years. This book is being launched as we
speak and will be sent to China very soon
where it will be presented to the Chinese
Prime Minister. Three members of my family, including me, are in the book. Men like
Dr. Victor Chan are in the book. Of course
Dr Chan accomplished much more than I
have, but it is such an honour to be thought
of and I think it will be great for those in
China to read about Fiorente.
Sticking with the staying horses for the
minute. What other staying prospects
do you have with Gai? Which ones are
you the most excited about?
To name three; Bonfire (Manduro x Night
Frolic) who hopefully will win a nice race
over the spring, Greatwood (Manduro x
Gaze) who will be back for the Sydney Cup
next year and the one I am the most excited
about, the new import Pornichet. He will
create a lot of excitement in Australia.
Growing up in Melbourne you must
have an AFL team?
The Mighty Demons. They were great
when I was growing up, but it has been a
little lean of late!
Leaving the imported stayers aside, do
you have any other young horses with
Gai?
Two that I am very excited about are Bay
Rock (Fastnet Rock x Legally Bay) and
Mali Rose (Medaglia D’oro X Mysterious
Light) .
What is it you like most about being
involved with Gai and the entire stable?
Generally racing people are quiet, don’t like
socialising too much and are completely
dedicated to the horses. Well Gai’s staff are
definitely dedicated to the horses, but they
are also so open and friendly and are always
up for a chat. The office staff, the foreman,
the racing managers and everyone else are
sensational to deal with. I have no doubt
that Gai drags you all along with her. Gai
has the perfect balance to fun and professionalism and she leaves no stone unturned
in her search of success. It is always great
to know that Gai wants to win the races just
as much as the owners do, if not more! She
makes you feel a huge part of it and she
wants you as an owner with her as a part
of the team when the races are won. The
social side is fantastic, but the openness
and the information I can get about my
horses at any time is the reason I will keep
coming back. Gai makes everything come
true. Horse of the Year awards, tickets to
the Cup, anything. Gai, with the help of her
team, gets things done and makes racing as
enjoyable as it possibly can be. In all forms
of business, operations prosper when they
have good people involved. Gai is the master, but her team definitely hold her aloft
and together they make for a great stable
that is a pleasure to be involved with.
21
Corporate Bookmakers Debate
By Rob Waterhouse
M
y friend, Peter Lawrence,
recently wrote a blistering
attack on the off-course
bookmaking firms.
And, he accuses me of “abandoning the
faith” by not supporting his position more.
He says, “You, Rob, have gone to the ‘dark
side.’”
His arguments in the article are sound. It
is well put and is based on facts.
It has received a lot of traction in social
media. It was even written up in the United
Kingdom. And he gave several media
interviews.
Lawrence said, in part:
“The legend that is Australian horse
betting is founded on the honest battle of ‘I
will pit my wits and skill and nerve against
yours; may the best man win.’ The stewards,
of course, have been there to referee and do
their best to insure a fair fight.
However, in the last three years the game
has changed completely. This wonderful
Australian tradition of a fair go and a fair
contest has been laid to waste as the British
corporates have suffocated and destroyed in
three years what took one hundred and fifty
22
(Left to right) Marc Lambourne, Peter Lawrence,
Tom Waterhouse, Mark Reed, Dom Beirne and
Rob Waterhouse
years to establish.
Without exception, they have three strings
to their bow. Firstly, weed out all winning
punters and close their accounts, or restrict
their bet sizes to such a small amount they
will no longer bother betting. Secondly,
weed out all losing punters who lose less
than 3.5% on turnover and close their accounts also. Their business model shows it
is not worth bothering with line ball players
either. They are only interested in serious
losers. Thirdly, find the gilt-edged, rich mug
and let him do whatever he likes. Court him
like a prince, buy him tickets to premium sporting events and fill up on his largesse as the
“This remarkable coup
has taken place behind
the protective wall of
the Northern Territory
Government...”
Warnie or Bazza,” or some equally
ridgy didge name. We are told to
“fire up” by corporations that
won’t bet you to lose $1000,
with most ads being shot in
pubs, as true blue Aussie
blokes bet up. The irony
is astonishing. There is
nothing remotely Australian about these betting
houses, and the Aussies
who have sold their soul,
those who grew up on the
racetracks of Grafton,
Randwick, Flemington and
the Gold Coast, should
hang their heads in shame
for the part they have
played in this whole scale
destruction of our once great
contest. At least Ladbrokes is
honest about who they are.
This remarkable coup has
taken place behind the protective wall of the Northern Territory
Government, who have allowed these
British corporations to operate in a tax
and regulation free haven not seen in
Australia before. Not only have they been
allowed to destroy the betting landscape,
they operate under no rules that can be
enforced by betting stewards. There is no
one on the side of the punter any more.
The punter is now simply open game to be
raped and pillaged with gay abandon.
Recently, the SMH finance pages reported on a memorandum sent to all TAB
agencies on how to identify “non-genuine
gamblers,” and get rid of them. Of course
non genuine gamblers are winners. Despite the pathetic banners at the bottom of
all websites claiming a commitment to responsible gambling, these betting houses,
the TAB included, are ONLY interested in
losing gamblers, a subset of punters that
contains ALL problem gamblers. What a
sad indictment of how the whole racing
industry is paralysed by “sponsorship”
money, that this story was run in the finance pages and not in the racing section
of the paper.”
But, a few things should be said.
Peter Lawrence honed his punting
skills on the racecourse but abandoned
the track because the corporate bookies
(the Corporates) were easier targets.
But, the Corporates’ only purpose is to
make profits for shareholders. They are
simply not interested it “pitting their wits”
against him.
Moreover, the changes in the racing tax
rate have concentrated the Corporates’
minds – they can now only bet with good
losers. A body blow for all punters.
Lastly, punters owe a great deal of
gratitude to the Corporates. They get a
far better deal than they got when it was a
TAB monopoly.
Lawrence wants the gourmet meal,
home delivered, at a bargain price. But he
can only have two of the three! Like the
sign at the top.
Peter, come back on-course! ▣
family fortune is slightly depleted. These are
the “clients” that everyone is after.
Not one of these corporates has a form analyst
with any ability whatsoever. They all slavishly
follow the (poor) opening TAB markets, with
very little change from Wednesday evening
until Saturday morning. They are not interested
in pitting their skill against yours, because
these British corporates are awash with failed
Australian punters.
As if this revolting practice was not bad
enough, these same British corporations have
the audacity to trade on the back of the very
Australian tradition they have completely
destroyed in recent times. Every advertisement
is full of Aussie anachronisms, with the lead
players always being “Matty or Brad or
23
Veteran Jockey Neil Paine Behind the Scenes at Trackwork
Neil Paine has been a Tulloch Lodge jockey for over two decades. With over
13,000 rides for around 1,400 wins, his experience and dedication to the sport
he loves has earned him a top position in Gai’s stable. He recently sat down with
Zeb Armstrong to talk Gai, trackwork and his contribution to it
getting up to do something that I love.
Can you tell us about the process at
trackwork every day? How do you end
up on a particular horse? Do you recommend to Gai what horses you should
ride and how far / fast they should run?
No, I certainly don’t recommend anything
to Gai. Gai is the boss and makes all the
decisions. Gai has systems and is the
master of putting certain jockeys on certain
horses at the right time. We just wait for
instructions, then try and carry them out
on each and every horse as well as we can.
Our job as trackwork riders is to get the
horses ready to race. Gai knows how to
do it better than anyone and her orders are
never questioned.
Neil Paine
How did you come about being one of
Gai’s most important stable riders?
I started riding for Gai in her early days,
back in the early 90s. I had just come back
from riding in Asia and managed to wiggle
my way back into the Tulloch Lodge stable.
I had worked for TJ for many years before I
headed abroad to race.
Do you still ride at the races full-time? If
not, how often?
Yes, I do still ride at the races, but not as
much as I once did. Riding for Gai every
morning keeps things ticking over nicely
and on top of this I do still pick up a few
26
rides here, there and everywhere, both for
Gai and other trainers.
According to the internet, you have
only recently passed the big 50 mark.
How do you still go about getting up
at trainers’ hours? Can you ever get
completely comfortable with the cold
dark hours?
Yes I am over 50, but I certainly don’t feel
it. Unless I have had a big night, getting
up is still easy. Well it is not easy, it has
just been a part of my life for so long that
I no longer worry about it. It is just part of
nature for me. It has never been too hard
The humble author of this interview
also types up the trackwork notes each
and every morning for gaiwaterhouse.
com.au. Every morning your comments
on the gallop sheet are very positive,
although if a horse is not going well,
you seem happy to tell Gai. How do you
know when you are on a horse at trackwork that is ticking every box?
I think it is important to let Gai know everything that happens during a gallop, both
good and bad. I am more than happy to let
her know when a horse is going extremely
well and I am not frightened to tell her if
one is not going so well. Our aim is to get
every horse to reach its maximum potential and we can’t do this by sugar-coating
average performances on the track. After
all the gallops are completed, we all go up
and report back to Gai and this is where Gai
records our comments on the gallop sheet.
Over time you know all the horses without
being told what particular horse you are on,
and you eventually learn a horse’s patterns
and whether or not they are doing their
best.
Neil winning at Hawkesbury in 2009 on Power and Glory
Can you remember a particular gallop
from a Group 1 performer in the days
leading up to a Group 1 win, when you
felt that particular horse would be unbeatable on the weekend, such was the
strength of their trackwork?
I probably have sat on all of Gai’s 125
Group 1 winners at some stage and I would
like to think that I am a pretty good judge
and get it right more often than not. I remember riding Grand Armee before his first
start at Newcastle. This was just a standard
race, certainly not a Group 1. I knew he
was going to be a Group 1 star based on his
trackwork and that he would not be beaten
in a Newcastle maiden first up. He was a
natural and had so much class and ability
that was on show from the very first day
he arrived at the stable. He was one of the
greats and I love the fact that he is in the
top twenty Stakes earners of all-time.
There are plenty of strong willed fellas
at the track each morning, all being
supervised by a strong willed lady.
Do tempers ever boil? Are there ever
disagreements?
Well, yes, to put it bluntly. It makes
for great theatre as long as you are not
involved. There is so much at stake every
morning and everyone wants to do their job
as well as possible. We are a team but we
occasionally reach agreements in a variety
of ways. But only very occasionally!
The goal from Gai on down is to get the
best out of each and every horse. The owners pay hundreds of thousands of dollars
and intrust us all to get their investments
to win. Everyone is part of it and everyone
is very passionate about their role. Gai’s
passion is infectious.
Can you take us through your standard
day (a day when you are not riding at
the races)?
I am up at 2.45am and usually walking the
dirt track hoping to finish by 3:40am. I text
Gai and let her know the condition of the
dirt track and the penetrometer readings.
I then ride trackwork until it finishes at
6.30am or 7.00am. If it is a metropolitan
raceday, I then venture to the track and
walk the track, let the stable know the
best parts of the track and take the peno
readings. This is so we are not going into
the first race blind and at least have some
idea of where to try and get our horses in
the run.
Can you tell us about your career as a
full-time race rider?
My first ride was in 1980 and since then I
have had 13,000 or so rides for about 1,400
wins.
My one Group 1 win came on Strawberry
Fair for Colin Hayes in 1988. I have ridden
an additional 68 winners in Group or Listed
races. I have also ridden all of Gai’s best
horses at trackwork which has been a real
thrill.
How do you get on with the Lady Trainer? Have you ever been on the end of,
or witnessed, some stern words?
Gai and I get on great. Of course she has
given me a few stern words over the years
but I respect her for this. She is driven by
success and she takes everyone along with
her on this ride. I try and do as I am told
and do my part to get every horse to reach
its potential. Gai is one of the greatest trainers to ever grace the Australian turf. She
knows how to get it done, and if anyone
needs a little bit of a reminder once or twice
a year, then so be it. Every single thing we
do is aimed at creating winners.
Do you see yourself working in a different job?
No, I have no desire to change. I love
working with Gai and I do want to stay in
the racing industry for as long as possible.
I will just keep working hard and doing my
job.
Away from the races, what do you enjoy
doing; beer? Golf? NRL?
I love a long lunch and a good Vino. I really
enjoy ocean swims and long walks to keep
fit. My wrists are not too flash so impact
sports are out of the question. I mostly keep
myself occupied around the house and in
my pursuit of fitness. As you get older it
becomes more important to stay fit and
healthy so I definitely spend plenty of time
doing that.
27
Spring in Full Swing Across the
Tasman…..
W
ith New Zealand setting
its sights on some top
performances across the
Tasman this season, it was
exciting to get our first Group 1 run on the
board in Australia with Sacred Falls (NZ)
putting in an awesome display to win his
fourth Group 1 in the George Main Stakes
(1600m) at Randwick.
Although less than 6% of the runners in
Australia are from NZ, nearly a quarter of
Australia’s Group 1 events each season are
won by New Zealand gallopers, so we are
looking forward to seeing the kiwi competitors that emerge to fly the flag.
Sacred Falls now puts himself firmly into
Cox Plate contention. A win of the prestigious (and lucrative) weight-for-age contest
by the kiwi would be NZ’s sixth from the
last eight editions of the race.
With more new babies appearing on
farms around the country, one of the arrivals close to my heart is New Zealand’s first
ever foal by super sire Frankel (pictured
opposite page). Bred at Pencarrow Stud,
the bay colt descends from Pencarrow’s
foundation mare, Richebourg (by Vice Regal). For the pedigree buffs, this strapping
lad is out of Richebourg’s daughter, Our
Echezeaux (by Zabeel), who is a sibling
to a pair of great producers in Grand
Echezeaux (dam of Darci Brahma) and
Romanee Conti (dam of Ethereal).
All going to plan, Pencarrow will offer
the colt for sale as a yearling at the Karaka
Sales in January 2016.
While I love seeing exciting prospects
race in Dad’s blue and whites, this is one
that I’ll be gunning to get into the catalogue.
Here at Karaka HQ the attention is turning to our Ready to Run Sale of two-yearolds. Catalogues are just out, and there are
396 two-year-olds getting ready for saleday
on 19 and 20 November.
NZB Breeze Ups for the Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs
28
The Ready to Run Sale in New Zealand is
a flourishing market. Now in its 34th year,
the Sale developed early on out of a very
real need for viable trading opportunities to
supplement the low prize money on offer.
The result was the emergence of a host of
expert preparers who created a specialism
out of selecting and educating horses for
this Sale.
These days we have a range of extremely
professional vendors who have turned this
process into an art form - and in doing so
they have carved out a staggering record
of success. Ready to Run Sale graduates
have collected nine Group 1 wins in the
past three seasons – with four Group 1
winners last season alone in Atlante, Albany
Reunion, Nashville and Glorious Days.
For those interested in this unique side of
the industry, the typical journey from yearling to Ready to Run Sale looks something
like this:
electronically timed on the Te Rapa course
proper, a free action and a high standard of
education are the main focus of the day.
STEP 8: There are four weeks between
Breeze Up and saleday, and most horses
won’t do any work in that time. They’ll
more likely have the finishing touches put
on their prep, which is where NZ’s experts
and ideal conditions provide the icing on
top.
STEP 9: Judgement Day in the sale ring.
The Sale averages around NZ$80,000 with
a record top price of NZ$500,000.
It might seem like a lot of down time,
but the Sale’s record shows that the kiwi
stress-free formula is working well to build
these horses for longevity. Horses like Able
One, Glorious Days, Sangster, Linton and
many more have been great ambassadors
for the durability of the horses that emerge
from this Sale. Australian buyers have a
significant impact on this Sale, having been
the leading buying bench for the past three
years in a row now. Last November Bruce
Slade and James Harron contributed to
that when they took home Mr Boomsday,
a Domesday gelding they purchased from
Esker Lodge for NZ$240,000. With one
win from one start under Gai’s care, he’s
one of twenty two winners already from
last year’s Sale.
We keenly await the next showcase of
youngsters at Karaka in eight weeks’ time
and look forward to welcoming you.
See you there. ▣
Pencarrow Stud’s Frankel foal from Our Echezeaux
STEP 1: Purchase a yearling that fits the
bill. The Sale has become a renowned
source of staying types, but either way the
emphasis is on type. Some breeders may
even skip a yearling prep in favour of lining
a horse up for this Sale if they think it needs
a bit more time, or is the ideal type that
buyers come to NZ looking for.
STEP 2: Typically spelled for 1 – 2 months
post-purchase, depending on the type/
strength of the individual and when it’s
bought.
STEP 3: Break in late March, approximately four weeks on the ground and two weeks
in the saddle going as far as trotting and
cantering around the track.
STEP 4: Another spell, with the length out
depending on the individual horse.
STEP 5: Back in for a short prep in June,
possibly a quiet run along or two.
STEP 6: Another short break, with the
final preparation for its Breeze Up usually
starting around 1 August.
STEP 7: NZB’s official timed Breeze Up
in mid-October which is filmed and posted
to the NZB website and provided on DVD.
The Breeze Up is a crucial element in the
marketing of the horse, but not necessarily
the time it runs. Whilst each Breeze Up is
29
1982 Cox Plate winner Kingston Town
The Best of the Best...
30
Every racehorse owner dreams of winning four races in particular; the Melbourne Cup, the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate and the Golden Slipper. These four races are known as ‘the Grand Slam’ and
the three Victorian races make up one of the best Racing Carnivals in the world. This month in Gai’s
Gazette we will try and determine the top five wins in the three major Spring Classics. This is a hard
task and completely open to debate. The Melbourne Cup has been going for 153 years, so finding
the top five wins was not easy. In regards to the Cox Plate, the top five wins all come from after
1970, as this is the time where this race became the Weight For Age championship of Australasia.
In the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s the race was worth very little money and was simply a WFA race, on the
card to support the Moonee Valley Cup. The top five Caulfield Cup wins all come from the twentieth century. Unfortunately, this rules out Northerly and the 2002 Caulfield Cup, but rest assured
our dear readers in Western Australia, Northerly was sixth! So, please enjoy the top five greatest
victories in the three biggest races on the spring racing calendar
By Zeb Armstrong
Top five Melbourne
Cup wins of all-time
•
•
•
•
Archer 1861 and 1862
Rain Lover 1968 and 1969
Think Big 1974 and 1975
Makybe Diva 2003, 2004 and 2005
5. Rising Fast 1954
Rising Fast is still the only horse to ever
win the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate and
Caulfield Cup in the same year. This is an
effort that we may never see the likes of
again. Northerly had a chance in 2002 but
was weighted out of the Melbourne Cup
with 60kg. Makybe Diva probably could
have done it in 2005 but she did not run in
the Caulfield Cup to avoid risking a penalty
for the Melbourne Cup.
To achieve this feat, a horse has to be an
outstanding champion and a very versatile
animal. Could Might and Power have won
the 2000m Cox Plate in between his two
amazing Cup wins in 1997? Maybe, but he
would have had to pull off the most remarkable feat. Rising Fast was the 5/2 favourite
($3.50) in the 1954 Melbourne Cup and
won very easily by just under two lengths.
The next year, 1955, Rising Fast did
the impossible and won the Caulfield Cup
again, but was then beaten by the TJ Smith
trained, Toparoa in the Melbourne Cup by
about two inches. Rising Fast almost won
both Cups twice! However, his win in 1954
more than secures him a place in the top
five due to the fact that he remains the only
horse to have won the three major spring
Classics in one year.
After winning one Melbourne Cup, a
horse will be expected to carry more weight
in a subsequent Cup attempt. Here are the
winning weights for successive winners…
• Archer 9st.7lb (60kg) in 1861 and
10st.2lb (64.5kg) in 1862. An increase
of 4.5kg
• Think Big 53kg in 1974 and 58.5kg in
1975. An increase of 5.5kg
• Makybe Diva 51kg in 2003 and
55.5kg in 2004. An increase of 4.5kg
• Makybe Diva 55.5kg in 2004 and
58kg in 2005. An increase of 2.5kg.
(Not sure how they got away with
this!)
Apart from Makybe Diva’s weight in her
third Cup, the general increase was either
4.5kg or 5.5kg. That is fairly consistent
and a good effort by different generations
of handicappers. But the difference is Rain
Lover.
Rain Lover carried 8st.2lb (51.5kg) in
1968 and 9st.7lb (60.5kg) in 1969. An
increase of 9kg.
That is almost double the average
increase the other horses enjoyed. This is
a huge increase in weight, and what had to
have been a remarkable effort to win. This
is why Rain Lover is in the top five.
4. Rain Lover 1969
Only four horses have won successive
Melbourne Cups. Peter Pan won two, but
they were over three years. The successive
wins so far are…
3. Galilee 1996
It was simply amazing how fast Galilee
sprinted at the end of a two mile handicap, especially in 1996, carrying 8st.13lb
(57kg), a huge weight for a four-year-old. It
can’t be recommended enough to everyone
to jump on the internet and watch this win
via youtube. Galilee was the 11/2 favourite
($6.50) and beat stable mate Light Fingers
as effortlessly as you will ever see. Light
Fingers however, was no push over. She
was a champion mare and Roy Higgins’ alltime favourite horse. The mare had won the
previous year’s Melbourne Cup. Galilee’s
win in 1966 is rated by Bart Cummings
as one of the best he has ever seen, and
he definitely rates this win the best of his
twelve Melbourne Cups.
Galilee also won the Caulfield Cup in
1966. In winning this race Galilee had
defeated Tobin Bronze who was the 11/8 on
favourite. 11/8 on ($1.72) is only slightly
longer than the shortest priced horse ever
in the Caulfield Cup, Tulloch, at 6/4 on
($1.66) in 1957. However, it is the sheer
ease of the victory in the Melbourne Cup
in 1966 that secured Galilee in the top five.
His last furlong was the fastest recorded for
the entire 1966 Melbourne Cup carnival.
Amazing, considering he had already run
almost two miles!
2. Carbine 1890
Since 1879, only three horses have been
handicapped near eleven stone for the
Melbourne Cup. Carbine 10st.12lb in 1891,
Phar Lap 10st.10lb in 1931 and Bernborough 10st.9lb in 1946. None of these three
champions ran in the great race with these
weights. However, the year before he was
given 10st.12lb, the great Carbine won the
Melbourne Cup with 10st.5lb, which is just
under 66kg. This is the highest weight ever
carried to victory in the Melbourne Cup,
and it will never be beaten. In a field of
31
1997 Caulfield Cup winner Might and Power
40, yes 40 without starting gates, Carbine
carried 10st.5lb to win in great time by
three lengths.
In 1890 there was of course no head on
cameras, so it was not unusual for jockeys
to all but jump on each other’s horses to
try and stop them from winning. Jockeys
were not the clean cut, honest athletes they
are today. Jockeys were small men who
loved to drink, fight and punt. (Maybe there
are still a few around today!) The other
39 jockeys no doubt had a decent crack
at stopping Carbine because he was the
pinup horse and the natural race favourite.
Carbine in fact may well have been the
best horse Australia has ever seen. He was
definitely the best horse of the nineteenth
century and this win was the best win on
any track in Australia at the time.
An interesting thing to ponder is the fact
that the last person to see this win, and
remember it, died in 1968 and there is no
footage, only a few sparse pictures. Yet,
the win was so great that the story has been
told over and over again, and today, some
124 years later, we can only imagine what it
32
must have been like to be there. It is important to note that the attendance on this first
Tuesday in November 1890 was 85,000.
That was out of a Melbourne population of
460,000 or 18.5% of the city’s population.
If 18.5% turn up this year there will be over
800,000 people! That would sure make it
hard to get a bet on or even get a beer.
1. Peter Pan 1934
Here is why Peter Pan’s 1934 Cup win is
the best ever (in my humble opinion).
He is the only horse to date to win two
Melbourne Cups with a year in between.
“This was one of the
strongest Melbourne
Cup fields ever. Peter
Pan drew the outside
barrier and missed the
start!”
Peter Pan carried 7st.6lb (46kg) as a threeyear-old to victory in 1932 and 9st.10lb
(61.5kg) in 1934. That is an increase of
16.5kg. Makybe Diva carried 51.5kg in
her first Cup win and 58kg in her third.
Leaving out the second Cup, the Diva can
be compared with Peter Pan as the only
horse to win multiple Cups over three
years. However the champion mare only
rose 6.5kg over the three years and she, of
course, did win another Cup in the middle
of this period. That is a rise in the weights
of 10kg less than Peter Pan, over the same
amount of years, with one extra Cup win.
The track on the first Tuesday in November
1934 was extremely heavy. So heavy, that
Peter Pan’s winning time of 3min 40sec
was over seventeen seconds slower than
the next year’s winning time and one of the
slowest ever recorded. Peter Pan did not enjoy wet tracks, but still won untouched by
four lengths. In the field was the 1933 Cup
winner Hall Mark, who had eight pounds
less than Peter Pan. Marabou was also in
the field. This horse went on to win the
1935 Melbourne Cup. Peter Pan conceded
Marabou 17kg. Rogilla was also in the
field. This gelding won twelve, what would
1957 Caulfield Cup winner Tulloch
Photos by Bradley Photography
now be, Group 1 races.
This was one of the strongest Melbourne
Cup fields ever. Peter Pan drew the outside
barrier and missed the start! Clearly the best
Melbourne Cup win of all-time for me.
Top five Caulfield Cup
wins of all-time
5. Might and Power 1997
We have all seen the footage of four-yearold Might and Power leading the field to the
“Might and Power’s time
of 2.26.2 was the fastest
time for the Caulfield
Cup since the metric system was introduced...”
turn in the 1997 Caulfield Cup and bursting
to a four length margin, then five, then six
and finally winning by seven and a half
lengths, easing up.
Might and Power’s time of 2.26.2 was the
fastest time for the Caulfield Cup since the
metric system was introduced to Australia.
And, the seven and a half length margin
was a modern day record. It also has to
be pointed out that Might and Power was
jumping from 1600m to 2400m and he defeated (at that stage) Australia’s best stayer,
Doriemus. This was a great win, and a win
that really did announce Might and Power
to be Australia’s best horse. His narrow win
a couple of weeks later in the Melbourne
Cup confirmed his new and deserved status.
4. Tobin Bronze 1967
Tobin Bronze was one of the best horses of the 1960s. The champ won a VRC
Derby, an Underwood, two Turnbull
Stakes’, a Doncaster, two Cox Plates, a
Toorak, a Mackinnon and the Caulfield
Cup. He started 11/8 ($1.72) on in the 1966
Caulfield Cup but unfortunately ran into
Galilee at the height of his powers. The
1967 Caulfield Cup was the last feature
race Tobin Bronze won in Australia, and
as such, he had the huge weight of 9st.10lb
the weight Rising Fast carried to victory in
1955 (keep reading for details of this race)
and only three pounds less than Redcraze
carried in his record effort in 1956. In the
home straight a horse named Red Handed,
trained by Bart Cummings, almost got past
Tobin Bronze. Red Handed went on to win
the Melbourne Cup two weeks later. This
shows that Red Handed was a great stayer
and therefore it was a mighty effort by Tobin Bronze to hold on, considering he was
conceding over two stone or 13kg to Red
Handed. A super win, based on the weight
and the quality of the opposition. The top
three Caulfield Cup wins happened in three
consecutive years; 1955, 1956 and 1957. It
would have been a great time to be an adult
living in Melbourne watching the races.
The 1950s is potentially the best decade of
racing in Australia’s history. The 1920s and
the 1990s are the other two decades that
stand out as a time of champions.
3. Rising Fast 1955
In 1954 Rising Fast won the Caulfield Cup,
Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup all in the
33
The best of the Best cont...
one year and he is still the only horse to do
so. But, the next year, 1955, Rising Fast
bounced up again and won the Caulfield
Cup with 9st.10lb (61.5kg). He also ran
second in the Melbourne Cup this year with
10st.0lb. To win the three spring Classics in
one year, then back up the following year
and win the Caulfield Cup, is something
that will probably never be done again. It
is simply an outstanding effort. Rising Fast
is listed as having won just under 67,000
pounds and using the reserve bank’s inflation calculator, that converts to just over
two million dollars in today’s economic
climate. However, if Rising Fast won these
races over the last few years instead of
during the early to mid-1950s, he would
have won more than fifteen million, which
would be an Australian record and almost a
million more than Makybe Diva won.
2. Redcraze 1956
Redcraze won the 1956 Caulfield Cup by
four lengths while carrying the, still record,
weight of 9st.13lb (63kg). Redcraze won
despite conceding almost three stone (close
to 19kg) to the runner up Evening Peal,
who, as it turns out, won the Melbourne
Cup that year. Can you imagine if this year
a horse was to win the Caulfield Cup with
63kg by four lengths and the runner up
carried just 44kg? The spread of weights
this year will most likely be from a top
weight of 58kg to a bottom weight of 53kg.
A spread of just 5kg is a long way from a
spread of 19kg. In winning the Caulfield
Cup by four lengths with the biggest weight
ever carried to victory in the race, Redcraze
more than deserves second spot and he is
unlucky not to grab the gold.
1. Tulloch 1957.
Tulloch (then a three-year-old) won the
1957 Caulfield Cup very easily. But this
win was far greater than the simple four
length romp it looked. Here are some facts
and figures that show exactly how great this
win was…
well as winning a VRC Derby, Sydney Cup
and a Mackinnon. Tulloch gave these two
great horses a cold when he went past them!
• A three-year-old had not won the
Caulfield Cup for twenty two years.
Only five have won since.
• Tulloch’s 7st.8lb is the greatest weight
ever carried to victory by a three-yearold in the history of the Caulfield Cup.
• Tulloch at 6/4 on ($1.66), jumped as
the shortest priced favourite ever in
the Caulfiled Cup.
• Tulloch’s time of 2.26.9 for the twelve
furlong race was not only a race and
track record, it was the fastest twelve
furlong race ever recorded in Australia
(imperial era) and the fastest twelvefurlong run ever recorded in the world
on a grass track.
• Tulloch was, at one stage of the
race, forced back to last in a field of
seventeen hard, older handicappers.
In working through the field, Tulloch
suffered three bad checks. As we
all know from backing horses over
the years, one bad check is usually
enough to end a horse’s chances. So,
to win after three bad checks is a truly
remarkable feat. It is also important
to note that the second and third place
getters Tulloch rushed by, were two
really good horses. Mac’s Amber won
a Toorak Handicap and a Chipping
Norton Stakes and Sailors Guide once
beat Rising Fast in New Zealand, as
It is important to note that from 1971 –
1972 the prize money for the Cox Plate increased by 50% from $30,000 to $45,000. It
was at this point that the Cox Plate became
a true spring Classic. It is also important to
apologise to the connections of Super Impose and Bonecrusher. Both of these horses
narrowly missed out on the top five despite
being very famous victors.
1976 Cox Plate winner Surround
34
Top five greatest Cox
Plate wins since 1972
5. Dulcify 1979
Dulcify beat Shivaree by seven lengths.
Shivaree beat the rest of the field by about
four. Shivaree was a really good horse who
won multiple Group 1 races, so it is very
clear that based on the quality of opposition,
Dulcify’s win was outstanding. Dulcify’s
winning margin of seven lengths is the
equal biggest winning margin in the history
of the race. The time was also in the top five
fastest of the modern era. It was a simply
breathtaking win that unfortunately was the
second last of Dulcify’s brilliant career.
4. Kingston Town 1982
The story of Kingston Town’s third Cox
Plate win has been told and retold since the
moments after the victory. But, for all the
first time readers, here are the quick facts…
• Kingston Town is the only horse to
ever win three Cox Plates.
• Kingston Town was declared by racecaller, Bill Collins ‘unable to win from
where he was in the run’, but he did.
• In winning the race, Kingston Town
became the first millionaire racehorse
in Australia.
• The third win was the fastest of the
King’s three and also against the best
field. Grosvenor that ran second had
previously won the Caulfield Guineas
and the VRC Derby. The field also
included Gurner’s Lane who won that
year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cup.
However, the main reason this win
makes it into our top five is because of its
historical significance. No other horse has
ever won three Cox Plates, although plenty
have tried. Lloyd Williams, who had no
connection with the King, rates Kingston
Town the equal of any horse he has ever
seen, including Tulloch.
3. Surround 1976
Surround remains the only three-year-old
filly to ever win the Cox Plate. Many really
good fillies have attempted to win the Cox
Plate in their three-year-old year, including
recently, Samantha Miss and Miss Finland,
but all are yet to match Surround’s brilliant
win in 1976. Surround beat a quality field
in great time. But the fact she is the only
three-year-old filly to ever win the Cox
Plate is astonishing. A quick study of the
race reveals that about 40 have tried and
these 40 are the best of the best three-yearold fillies to ever race in Australia. Threeyear-old fillies have to carry 47.5kg in the
Cox Plate while five-year-olds and above
have to carry 59kg. That is a big difference.
But, it does show that despite the weight
relief, it is almost impossible for a threeyear-old filly to win the Cox Plate. A great
win by Surround who is well entitled to a
spot in the top three!
2005 Cox Plate winner Makybe Diva
“Kingston Town won
his second by a length,
Northerly battled to a
one length win in his
second and So You Think
fell in after a tough run,
also in his second... Yet
Sunline won her second
by seven lengths!”
the champion mare.
But, the biggest factor that gets Sunline
to the silver metal spot is the margin. Since
1972, Kingston Town, Sunline, Northerly
and So You Think have all won multiple
Cox Plates. Kingston Town won his second
by a length, Northerly battled to a one
length win in his second and So You Think
fell in after a tough run, also in his second.
It is therefore much harder to win a second
2. Sunline 2000
Sunline won her second Cox Plate by seven
lengths equalling the record set by Dulcify
twenty one years earlier. Everyone has seen
this win. Sunline leads easily then kicks
clear to win pulling up by seven lengths.
The time was not flash, but what was great
was the company she beat so easily. The
field included Caulfield Cup winners Sky
Heights and Diatribe, all time Sydney
champion Tie the Knot, multiple Group 1
winners Shogun Lodge and Show a Heart
and the super sire Testa Rossa. It was a
great field that was absolutely flogged by
Cox Plate than a first. Yet Sunline won her
second by seven lengths! Case closed.
1. Makybe Diva 2005
The Diva’s Cox Plate win was extraordinary. It was extraordinary for the following
reasons…
• She was being trained for the Cup.
No matter what anyone says, the great
mare was being trained for her third
Melbourne Cup because her connections knew she was a moral over
3200m with just 58kg. As we saw
with Fiorente, it is hard to win a Cox
Plate when the Melbourne Cup is your
Grand Final.
• The field that she beat in the Cox Plate
was one of the best ever. It included
Desert War (six Group 1 wins), Lotteria (two Group 1 wins), Fields of Omaha (two time winner of the Cox Plate)
and Xcellent (four Group 1 wins).
• Glen Boss rode her like a moral. He
was probably a bit confident, but, in
the end it did not matter.
• The entire field made her work really
hard. The footage shows how, before
the turn, the field spread really wide
forcing the Diva to cover a lot of
extra ground. It is lucky she had been
trained for the two miles because otherwise she may not have been strong
enough to win.
There we have it. With a bit of luck, Gai
might have a few horses mentioned next
time we compile our lists. Fiorente, just for
the record, would have definitely been in
the top ten, had we have extended our Melbourne Cup list. In winning his Melbourne
Cup he did what only three male horses had
ever done in placing in the Melbourne Cup
one year, then winning it the next. Two of
the others to have done this in the last 154
years are Carbine and Phar Lap. Fiorente
clearly would have made top ten. ▣
35
Never a Dull Moment with the
Lady Trainer
Joe hosing down Triple Snitz
O
n the first afternoon in Sydney
last week without torrential
rain, I ran in to Gai leaving
work and she asked me to, “in
one minute, be able to say what you have
learned here in your time so far.” Of course
this question had a reason to it.
The second year Darley Flying Start
students, some of whom I met previously
through an event run by the UCD Horse
Racing Society, were coming to Randwick
the following day to see the morning work
routine and she had asked me to join them
in viewing the work.
This was a fantastic chance to meet a
group of people who have seen and learned
so much in many different countries over
the past twelve months.
This was when the question from the
previous day was to come in to play. When
I arrived Gai immediately asked me to discuss my time here so far with the students.
When you look at a Waterhouse horse at
the races there are always three common,
striking factors; how fit the horses look,
how calm the horses are, and how well
the horses hold their condition run after
run, while enduring the tough Waterhouse
36
“When you look at a
Waterhouse horse at the
races there are always
three common,
striking factors; how
fit the horses look, how
calm the horses are,
and how well the horses
hold their condition run
after run...”
By Joe Callan
regime.
The variation in Gai’s training techniques
is crucial in contributing to these factors.
Each afternoon the horses will do some
sort of exercise that improves their muscle
development and keeps their heads in the
right place. The horses will take a trip to
the local beach for a swim, hand walk
around the area, use the high performance
treadmill (a training tool that Gai learned
from legendary South African trainer Mike
De Kock), roll in the sand, use the horse
walker, swim in the track swimming pool,
canter figure of eights, jump over polls or
hand walk over the hill that is adjacent to
the track.
Each horse does what is necessary for
their schedule and development and is given a change of scenery to keep their mind
occupied. Each method has strong advantages with the aim of achieving a fit horse
through the ‘bone and muscle regime’, a
training routine thought up by Gai’s legendary father, TJ Smith.
The feeding is also an important factor in
the success of the stable and when the students asked the Lady Trainer the question
about what she feeds her yard and what to
do when a horse won’t eat, Gai volleyed
the question back to me. I saw a couple of
shocked faces as they realised how much
feed I had just listed, but, as Gai said to me
on my first day, “feed is one of the most
crucial factors in the development.” Gai and
her nutritionist and foreperson, Mel Norton,
have the feeding regime for the horses here
down to a tee!
The students got to see some of the most
exciting horses in the stable gallop, along
with meeting the top riders at the stable.
Gai outlined the positives and negatives
about many horses and discussed her plans
for certain horses.
There were also many humorous stories
told by the champion trainer, which would
be expected when talking to Gai, as she
never fails to make a crowd laugh.
Thankfully the horses have been running
well as the big Group 1 races approach.
Most of the two-year-olds are beginning to
show their true colours with many looking
to have a bright future ahead, along with
the older, reliable stable stars beginning to
rekindle their old form just at the right time.
It is bound to be an exciting few weeks
ahead in Sydney. ▣
A Morning at the Track with Gai...
Three of this year’s Darley Flying Start trainees recently spent the morning with
Gai at Randwick Racecourse...
It has been a fantastic opportunity for me to be able to attend
a morning at track work during
our week in Sydney for the Darley
Flying Start program. It has been
such a motivating way to start the
day learning from Gai. The pace at
which the morning work is conducted is breathtaking, but all the
horses get a good assessment and
the riders speak up to comment on
how the horse feels, which makes
this such an exciting learning environment. It was brilliant to see how
relaxed the horses were while they
were working and how satisfied
they looked once they returned from
work.”
- Laura Vanska, Finland
(Left to right) Jack Bruce, Miguel Clement and
Amanda Bossom listening to Tommy Berry’s
morning report
•••••••••••••••••••••••••
“Royal Randwick was already a hive of activity when the twelve Darley Flying Start trainees arrived at the
trainers’ hut at 4.30am ready to spend a morning with the team at Gai Waterhouse Racing. No time was wasted
and the machine was quickly into action. It was fascinating to watch Gai cast her eye carefully over each horse
standing in front of us and give the trainees a quick rundown, before quickly switching her focus to the 400m
to watch a galloping pair quicken up and attack the line - a common theme throughout the morning. Any task
peripheral to the physical assessment of the horse and observation of its work had been sub-contracted out to her
ever-efficient team.
Quite aside from the knowledge of equine conditioning gained throughout the morning, Gai stressed the importance of conditioning ourselves. “Stand up straight,” she told us, and“don’t fold your arms you look threatened.”
A constant reminder to always remain attentive and never miss a beat, two qualities Australia’s first lady of racing has personified throughout her incredible career.”
- Jack Bruce, New Zealand
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
“Far from the green fields of Ireland that I am accustomed to, on a rainy Thursday morning, I arrived to spend
time with Gai Waterhouse Racing at Royal Randwick Racecourse. The weather was contrasted by a very warm
welcome from the energetic and enthusiastic Gai Waterhouse Racing team and of course, from Gai herself. As a
trainee on the Darley Flying Start program I am very lucky to have met some of the Racing Industry’s greatest
leaders, so the chance to spend time with Gai Waterhouse was one that I jumped at. Observing this well-oiled
operation moving through their fast paced, yet seamlessly orchestrated, morning routine has given me great
insight into Australian training methods. One trend which really stood out to me was the individual and personal
attention given by Gai to each horse and staff member, it really isn’t hard to see why she has achieved such great
success.”
- Caroline Walsh, Ireland
37
Three Chimneys Stud Farm in Lexington: visiting Big Brown
Bucket List - Come and Join Me
Assistant Trainer, Mark Newnham invites you to the 2015 Kentucky Derby
Racing Tour
I
t is regarded as “The Most Exciting
Two Minutes in Sport” and is the
pinnacle of the North American racing
calendar. The Kentucky Derby is one
of the most iconic sporting events in the
world and 2015 marks the 141st running of
this time honoured event. It is my pleasure
to extend you a warm invitation to join me
on the 2015 Kentucky Derby Racing Tour.
Ambassador Travel – Australia’s leading
provider of thoroughbred racing tours - is
very proud to be involved with Gai Waterhouse Racing.
For this tour we will have the pleasure of
enjoying the many scenic highlights on offer throughout the United States as well as
some of the most spectacular thoroughbred
racing North America has to offer.
To begin we travel to Los Angeles to experience a day of racing at Santa Anita Park
which is the host track for the 2015 Breeders Cup. I have visited Santa Anita on a
previous occasion and also know one of the
leading trainers there, so I am very much
looking forward to returning. Upon arrival
our tour will enjoy a sumptuous lunch in
the clubhouse restaurant situated in the
historic art deco style grandstand overlooking the track. With its beautiful backdrop of
the San Gabriel Mountains, I’m sure you’ll
agree with me that Santa Anita is one of the
most picturesque racetracks in the world.
We then travel to Las Vegas, the “Entertainment Capitol of the World”, where we
will have ample free time to try our luck in
38
the casinos, be pampered in the world class
day spas, shop ‘til we drop at the premium
outlets or perhaps take in one of the many
world class shows on offer along the Las
Vegas Strip. My wife Donna will be coming
on the tour also and she is very well versed
on the best shopping in Las Vegas and will
be more than happy to assist those in search
of a bargain.
Our tour will then make its way to
horse country, Lexington Kentucky, and
frequently referred to as “Thoroughbred
City” or “Horse Capital of the World”.
This beautiful region is made up of gently
rolling terrain, fertile soil and has extremely
favourable weather conditions.
We are currently making arrangements
to visit some of the world renowned stud
farms while we are in the area, including
Three Chimneys, Ashford (Coolmore) and
Jonabell (Darley) which are home to some
of the most famous and successful stallions
ever seen including Big Brown, Fusaichi
Pegasus and Thunder Gulch, all of whom
have stood in Australia in recent seasons.
Lonhro stood a couple of seasons in the US
at Darley and is of course the sire of Gai’s
best horse in Pierro.
Traditionally around Derby time these
stud farms are not usually open to the
general public however, thanks to the solid
relationship that Gai Waterhouse Racing
has formed with some of these farms, we
are fortunate enough to not only gain access
inside, but take a tour through the grounds
and observe the current crop of champion
stallions that are standing.
Another unique experience our tour will
enjoy is a relaxing breakfast at Keeneland
Racecourse while watching morning track
work before embarking on a sightseeing
tour of Lexington and a stop at one of
Kentucky’s famous Bourbon Distilleries to
sample, “America’s Official Native Spirit”.
Of course the main event is the “Run for
the Roses”, The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, which is one of the oldest and
most famous races in the United States and
the first leg of the American Triple Crown.
It is the US equivalent of our Melbourne
Cup as it is the only horse race that attracts
attention outside the racing community.
We will enjoy excellent reserved seating
above the winning post and an unforgettable day at this memorable event. Take the
opportunity to soak up the party atmosphere
and drink up the traditional Derby drink,
the mint julep.
Choice is the key on this tour and apart
from designing your own itinerary around
the Kentucky Derby, you will also be able
to choose from a variety of optional day
tours, as well as having the option to extend
on to some of the many other exciting destinations that North America has to offer,
with the assistance of one of Ambassador
Travel’s experienced consultants.
I look forward to travelling with you on
what will be a most memorable tour. - Mark
Newnham ▣
39
White Dove winning the Ranvet Handicap over
1900m // Bradley Photographers
And from
you...
Spirit of Joy
Hi Gai,
Nelson has just gone for a break in Burma but he will be
delighted to learn of White Dove’s success in Sydney yesterday.
What a credit she is to you and your team. She is obviously happy
and enjoying her profession now after her earlier behavioural
indiscretions. But you get that with racehorses, don’t you?
Obviously as breeders we are delighted to follow her progress and
wish you the very best with whatever races you set her for. Keep
up the good work.
Best regards,
Steve Till
Manager, Windsor Park Stud
[email protected]
Congratulations on the win Gai!
Was hoping it might be our girl (Spirit Of
Joy) who got across the line today but it
was a gallant fourth.
We always enjoy seeing the Waterhouse
name in front. It is simply wonderful
being a part of it all.
Best wishes,
Michelle Vecchio
Please drop Gai a line @GaiWaterhouse1
Or, send us an email: [email protected]
40
WOODBINE // Lisa Grimm Photography
1350m Handicap
Recent
Winners
GREATWOOD // Bradley Photography
Premier’s Cup 1800m
42
“It did this old man’s heart the world of good yesterday
to see the Gai-Team get two winners home. I’m sure that
it was a good feeling for a young lass like you as well. It
has been a little while since I’ve had reason to set a good
full throated roar and I gave it my all yesterday. I actually
thought we had three winners. I did my best.
Keep the ball on the roll now, for the rest of the carnivals.
It gives me so much pleasure to see those ‘Gai’ horses on
the charge. Good luck”
- Ron Bell (shareholder in Tamariz)
CONFEDERATE // Bradley Photographers
3YO Maiden Plate 1000m
MUSCOVADO // Bradley Photography
Handicap 1300m
DUCCIO // Bradley Photography
More Than Ready Plate 1550m
43
A Promising Performance
By Emma Pearce
Zizou x Chatelaine
Zizou x Chatelaine
The phrase ‘Champion two-year-old filly’
will draw the attention of any one member
of the racing industry. To see this phrase
under the first dam on a pedigree page is
nothing short of ‘mouth-watering’ and combining this with an exceptional physique
and a will to win, is the exact combination
that provides Tulloch Lodge with so many
champions.
Zizou x Chatelaine was bought from the
Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $200,000.
The fifth foal out of the mare Chatelaine
immediately caught the attention of the
whole team when viewed at Stuart Ramsey’s Turangga Farm. At this stage I must
point out that Gai does not view a single
pedigree page prior to assessing a yearling. She does not want to know who the
yearling is by, the mare’s race record or the
mare’s produce record.
44
“The pedigree page is a nice backup but
I am buying the athlete, not the piece of
paper their pedigree is written on.” Gai
says, “It can be used as a guide but without
the physical attributes, you will not have
a racehorse. I find that if you go into an
inspection knowing the sire or the dam, it
can influence your decision when analysing
the physique of a yearling.”
At the sales, Gai made the following
comments about this striking filly by Zizou,
“She is very relaxed and has a lovely long,
loose stride. She has wonderfully well-developed forearms, a great girth and strong
shoulder. Very nice filly.”
She broke in really well and has a great
attitude towards her work. Nothing fazes
her and her long fluent stride sees her
cover the ground with ease. She has been
trotting and cantering around Randwick,
led off the pony, swimming in the pool and
this preparation she will further her barrier
education with a jump out on the grass and
some steady pace work.
Chatelaine, a Flying Spur mare, was a
three-time winner from 1000m-1250m. She
also placed in the Group 2 Silver Shadow
Stakes, Group 3 Research Stakes, Group 3
RN Irwin Stakes, Listed Sheraco Stakes and
Listed Widden Stakes.
Carrying this superb record through to
her role as a broodmare, her first foal – also
sold by Turangga Farm – was none other
than Headway, Australia’s Champion twoyear-old filly in 2008/2009. Headway won
the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, Group
3 Sweet Embrace Stakes, Listed Chairman’s Stakes. She also finished second in
the Group 1 Golden Slipper.
Zizou x Chatelaine has the physique, the
pedigree, the attitude and the athleticism to
make it on the big stage and if Headway is
anything to go by, this filly could be one of
the greats. ▣
For more information regarding these two bright young
graduates, call Adrian Bott on #0400 408 369 or email [email protected]
Hinchinbrook x Belle Amici
Hinchinbrook x Belle
Amici
First season sires tend to create an electric
atmosphere in the sales ring with their
progeny for a number of reasons. Firstly,
their records as stallions are unblemished,
secondly, the memory of that stallion thundering past the winning post is still fresh
in everyone’s minds and finally, there’s an
element of the unknown.
Hinchinbrook is a half-brother to Australia’s most exciting young sire, Snitzel.
Hinchinbrook emulated his brother when
winning a major Golden Slipper lead up,
the Group 3 Skyline Stakes. He also won
the Listed Canonbury Stakes before finishing fourth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper.
Also added to his resume were placings
in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes, Group 1
Sires’ Produce, Group 1 Oakleigh
Plate, Group 1 William Reid Stakes and the
Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes. His oldest progeny are two-year-olds and with one of three
Hinchinbrooks who competed in the official
two-year-old trials, being under Gai’s care,
he may just have hit the ground running
as an up and coming stallion. Brooklyn’s
(Hinchinbrook x Believe ‘N Achieve)
impressive three length trial winning
performance was that of a very talented and
professional colt.
Hinchinbrook x Belle Amici was
purchased for $250,000 from the Magic
Millions Gold Coast Sale. His young dam,
Belle Amici was a winner over 1400 metres
and she is a half-sister to Group 3 winner,
Restless. This colt is the third foal out of
the mare and her first foal is Stakes placed.
He is a big, strong, impressive style of a
colt and he has impressed everyone with his
attitude towards his work. This sensational
looking colt has done everything that has
been asked of him and ended his last preparation on a high note with a nice, sharp
jump out on the grass.
At the sales Gai made the comment,
“Lovely well grown, attractive colt with
good length, nice rein and a powerful
shoulder. He has a nice intelligent head.”
Breaker Ryan Pendergast made the
comment, “This colt is such a laidback individual who is a pleasure to work with. He
has a lovely action and a really good idea
about what is required of him. A nice colt in
the making.”
Hinchinbrook x Belle Amici has all of the
attributes of a future champion. He has the
attitude, the physique and most importantly,
a will to win. Gai knows this family well,
having trained Belle Amici and her Group
3 winning half-brother, Restless and she
has already identified this colt as ‘quite
special’.
He is certainly black book material. ▣
45

Hampton Court and Duccio Quinella the Dulcify

Transcription

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