Magic Melbourne Carnival Continues Rolling for Waterhouse and Bott

26 Oct 18

Last year the dynamic training duo of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott dazzled their way to being leading trainer over the Flemington carnival and results over the past 7 days reveal the brilliance of the effervescent Gai and calming professionalism of Adrian has their stable in the hottest of form leading into Flemington in 2018.

Adrian Bott co-trainer with Gai Waterhouse

In the past week, Gai and Adrian won the Gr3 MRC Caulfield Classic with Thinkin’ Big which has seen him shoot into Gr1 VRC Derby favouritism.

Thinkin' Big winning the Caulfield Classic

Then later on the day, the stable claimed the Group 2 MRC Tristarc Stakes with Shumookh who is now aiming at the Gr1 Myer Stakes.

Shumook winning the Tristarc Gr2

On Wednesday they backed it up by fending off the international raiders to claim the quinella in the Gr3 Geelong Cup as Runaway held out stablemate Northwest Passage by ¾ length and with this result Runaway may well have forced his way into the Gr1 Melbourne Cup.

Runaway defeats stablemate Northwest Passage in Gr3 Geelong Classic

Achieving outstanding results all year round, the Waterhouse/Bott Stable really shine when the big races of the Spring Carnival roll around, especially in Melbourne.

Special mention too for jockey Tim Clark who this season has had 49 rides for their stable, achieving 9 wins (18%), 11 placings (22%) and earning connections $1,215,000.

Tim Clark

Tim puts in a lot of hard work at training and understands Gai’s training methods which is resulting in success.

In the past 7 days the stable has started 11 runners: 3 wins; 2 seconds; 2 thirds.

Apart from winning three Group races, Gai and Adrian runners have also been competitive with:

Northwest Passage running 2nd in the Geelong Cup Gr3 2400m

Social Element running 2nd in the City Tattersalls Club Cup LR 2400m

Evening Slippers finishing 3rd in the ATC Kirkam Plate 2yo 1000m

Ulusaba finishing 3rd in the ATC Daily Press 1600m

This weekend (Friday / Saturday) the dynamic duo have 13 runners engaged:

Friday:

Canterbury (night)
PRECISELY; TERMINOLOGY; BRING IT BACK; NORTHERN VOYAGE;

Moonee Valley (night)
SAVAPINSKI; INVINCIBLE STAR

Saturday:

Moonee Valley
ESPAANIYAH; SIEGE OF QUEBEC

Randwick
FABRIZIO

Kembla
ZEPPELIN; BLACK SUNRISE; JUST A JOKE; WOLFE

Below is a review of the stables three Group Wins:

Runaway Claims Geelong Cup

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott turned back the internationals in Wednesday's $350,000 Group 3 Bet365 Geelong Cup (2400m) as the front-running Runaway held the challenge of his stablemate Northwest Passage to give Australia’s hottest training partnership the quinella.

Racing in the Rosemont Stud colours, Runaway had won the VRC St Leger LR in April before finishing third in the Group 1 S.A. Derby.

Taking up his favoured front-running role for Stephen Baster, Runaway fought bravely down the straight to defeat stablemate Northwest Passage by three-quarters of a length with Juddmonte Farms Frankel entire Finche (GB) the same distance back in third.

Runaway advances his record to 4 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $520,285.

"I've ridden this horse a fair bit and the owners have been great to me, it's their hometown cup so it's a dream come true for everybody," Baster said.

"He showed he was a good horse in the St Leger, I thought he was a good chance as long as he was not annoyed too much in front.

“He’s only third-up and (Gai’s Melbourne foreman) Roger Elliott and the team at home have just done a great job with him.”

Purchased by Gai Waterhouse for $150,000 at the 2016 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Runaway is a half-brother to the 2011 Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks winner Absolutely and to the 2016 Group 1 SAJC Schweppes Oaks winner Abbey Marie.

Fact: It’s no coincidence a current filly Dynamic Syndications are offering with Gai and Adrian being our WANDJINA x SPOOKED filly, is bred on the same cross as both the Gr1 Winners mentioned above – Absolutely and Abbey Marie (the 1/2 sisters to Runaway).

Runaway was 49th in the Melbourne Cup order of entry before his Geelong Cup success. The win has moved Runaway 21 positions closer to securing a Melbourne Cup start after being handed a 1.5kg penalty for his victory moving him up to position 28 in order. With further qualifying races to come and several known drop outs above him still in the order of entry, the stable are upbeat about their chances of securing a start and Gai’s Melbourne Cup dream for Runaway still glows.

The announcement of a 1.5kg penalty was made by Racing Victoria's Greg Carpenter.

“Runaway gave an outstanding performance yesterday to lead throughout in the Geelong Cup and was strong at the finish, holding off stablemate Northwest Passage and Finche.

“He was a progressive talent in his three-year-old season winning the VRC St Leger over 2800m and finishing third in the Group 1 South Australian Derby over 2500m.

“It is encouraging to see a VRC St Leger winner return in such good form as a four-year-old and Runaway will be very competitive in the Lexus Melbourne Cup with 52kg if he can secure a place in the final field of 24 runners.”

Thinkin’ Big Following in the Footsteps of Nothin’ Leica Dane

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained colt Thinkin' Big is now favourite for the Gr1 Victoria Derby following an outstanding win in the Group 3 MRC Caulfield Classic on Saturday.

A full brother to Group 3 winner Stampede, Think' Big was an unlucky third at his last run in the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes, but more than made amends in this 2000 metre assignment.

Perfectly rated in front by Tim Clark, he powered away from his peers to win as he pleased by a widening three lengths taking his overall record to four wins from six starts with prizemoney in excess of $480,000.

"He's a lovely horse," said Tim Clark.

"He's so easy to do anything with and for his first go at Caulfield he handled it so well. His attitude is his best attribute, he just wants to work with you."

Thinkin' Big was bred and retained to race by Peter Dunn of Dodmark Thoroughbreds and was foaled at Coolmore.

“He'll stay all day,” Gai Waterhouse said.

“On his dam's side he's from the family of Nothin' Leica Dane and he is so much like him.”

“There’s a few options. He’s in the Derby. He’s in the Melbourne Cup.

“We brought him down for the Derby but we’re just going to let the dust settle.

“It’s a great way of training them. It gives you time to breath.”

Gai Waterhouse trained Nothin' Leica Dane to win the Caulfield Classic (Norman Robinson Stakes) in 1995 before he went on to win the Victoria Derby and then finish second in the Melbourne Cup won by Doriemus.

Tim Clark got him smartly to the lead and the colt then settled well, really slowing the mid-race tempo before lifting the pace from the 600m. He turned for home with a clear advantage and went on to score easily by three lengths

Thinkin’ Big stormed to the top of Victoria Derby betting with this dominant Caulfield Classic win.

Thinkin’ Big had won the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) in Sydney earlier this spring before finishing third as favourite on a rain-affected track in the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).

Sidenote: Sad news this week with the announcement Nothin' Leica Dane passed away last Sunday. The former great racehorse and Group 1 sire was aged 26.

He was from the second crop of Australian yearlings by champion sire Danehill (USA), Nothin' Leica Dane was a superstar for Gai Waterhouse winning six races and placing eight times from 27 starts before retiring with earnings in excess of $1.7 million.

He rose to fame during the 1995 spring carnival winning the Group I AJC Spring Champion Stakes and Group I VRC Victoria Derby defeating Cox Plate winner Octagonal before running the bravest of seconds in the Melbourne Cup with just 47.5kg and Shane Dye in the saddle.

In the autumn, he was one of four outstanding three year-olds known as 'the big four' - Nothin' Leica Dane, Octagonal, Saintly and Filante – they did battle in a series of races with the Group 1 STC Rosehill Guineas and AJC Australian Derby. He campaigned at the highest level and closed out his career with a run in the Arc de Triomphe in France before retiring.

Shumookh wins Gr2 Tristarc Stakes

For the second time this Spring, Shumookh claimed Group 2 glory taking out the $350,000 Tristarc Stakes just a month on from winning the Golden Pendant.

Emirate Park's royally-bred Dream Ahead (USA) mare Shumookh added to her tally when dominantly winning at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained mare led all the way from a wide gate and forged clear to win with authority by a length and three-quarters.

Winning rider Tim Clark said switching back to 1400m following her last-start fourth at Randwick over 1600 metres on October 6 was a key factor in her success.

"I made sure they were really chasing around the home bend to get me and she got through the line strongly," Clark said.

"Once she got a couple of cheap sectionals down the side it was always going to be hard to run her down."

Gai Waterhouse said she plans to again step Shumookh up to 1600m to run in the Group 1 VRC Empire Rose Stakes on November 3.

A half-sister to the Group 2-placed Shedad, Shumookh is the sixth winner from as many to race out of the top-class mare Shamekha, who was also trained by Gai Waterhouse. She won eight races including the Group 1 AJC TJ Smith Stakes, Group 1 All Aged Stakes and Group 1 STC Coolmore Classic earning prizemoney of $1.8 million.

In what appeared to be a very strong field of runners, Clark’s instructions from Gai were to lead early, a plan he executed to perfection.

“Tim does the miles, he comes to the track very regularly, he’s very much part of Adrian and my team, he understands the horses, she was coming back in trip and we knew if we were back in the field that she would make it harder” Gai Waterhouse said after the race.

Jumping well to sit up on the speed, Shumookh found an extra gear close to the straight with Booker breathing down her neck.

Waterhouse’s four-year old mare showed a brilliant turn of foot two starts prior in the Golden Pendant, and after running a disappointing fourth in the Group 3 Angst Stakes last start, it appeared Shumookh rediscovered her speed.

“Good to see her bounce back,” Clark said.

“She just got softened up a little bit last start at the mile at Randwick, in the last little bit she got gobbled up but back to the 1400 she’s rock hard fit, she really improved nicely underneath from the 600 and made sure I was making her really chase her round the bend to try and get me, she ran through the line strongly.”

Winners of the Tristarc often go on to contend the Myer Classic two weeks later at Flemington, and as it just so happens, Group 1 glory is in Shumookh’s blood.

“We’re just praying to the boss that she lets us run her in the Myer, I’ve always believed that she could run a Myer,” Waterhouse said.
“I trained her Mum, it’s very special to all of us.”

Following Saturday’s win, Shumookh has firmed from $21 into $10 for the Myer at Ladbrokes.

Tim Clark has produced a second copybook front-running ride to provide Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott with a Caulfield double.

Race with GAI and ADRIAN

Dynamic Syndications are the PRIMARY SYNDICATOR to the Gai Waterhouse Racing Stables.

Currently we have four magnificently bred 2yo’s with limited shares remaining:

Colts:

SAVABEEL x TIARA Colt – 5% Share @ $13,700

SMART MISSILE x SERENADE LILY – 5% Share @ $8,300

Fillies:

WANDJINA x SPOOKED Filly – 5% Shares @ $7,625

DEEP FIELD x PRINCESS MARIZZA Filly – 5% Shares @ $9,635

Full details about each horse are available on our website.

To find out more give Adam Watt at Dynamic Syndications a call on 02 9540 1511 or 0409 464 378 and have a chat about how easy and affordable it is to have a share in a high quality 2yo with Australia’s First Lady of Racing – Gai Waterhouse.