Gai Waterhouse plots Broadsiding ambush in 2024 Caulfield Guineas with Mayfair, Wanaruah

Racing’s first lady Gai Waterhouse had to scale a picnic table to get a glimpse of her Caulfield Guineas hope Wanaruah gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday morning ... but she liked what she saw.

Her place in Australian racing’s Hall Of Fame was no help when Gai Waterhouse needed a vantage point to watch one of her Caulfield Guineas hopes gallop on Tuesday morning.

Waterhouse was forced to stand on a table on the Caulfield members’ lawn to observe three of the stable she trains in partnership with Adrian Bott go through their paces.

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Despite the unusual viewing position, Waterhouse said Wanaruah, a $15 chance in Caulfield Guineas betting, thrilled the camp with his work alongside two-year-old Coin Toss.

“Wanaruah came here and worked brilliantly with Coin Toss, who was meant to run last Saturday but he had a mishap on the float,” Waterhouse said.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse stands on a picnic table to watch Wanaruah work at Caulfield on Tuesday. Picture: Michael Klein

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Wanaruah and Mayfair would attempt to give Waterhouse her first win in the Caulfield Guineas, a race her father Tommy Smith won twice with Tulloch (1957) and Red Anchor (1984).

Waterhouse said she and Bott decided to keep Mayfair at Flemington for Tuesday’s gallops.

“Mayfair just went around steady at Flemington,” Waterhouse said.

“I just decided that it was probably best to keep him at Flemington.

“I spoke to Adrian and we decided to keep him there as he’s quite a masculine and bullish sort of horse. It might have been a bridge too far coming here.”

It's a @godolphin 1-2 in the Golden Rose!

Star colt Broadsiding gives @mcacajamez his 99th Group 1 as he takes the $1m feature from stablemate Traffic Warden with Mayfair rallying to claim third. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/YDlaXvmbZj

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 28, 2024

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Mayfair will make his Melbourne debut in the Caulfield Guineas after narrow defeats in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Stakes and Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill.

The Ming Dynasty Stakes form stood up when the winner Lady Shenandoah subsequently won the Group 1 Flight Stakes while Mayfair was a head away from Caulfield Guineas favourite Broadsiding in the Golden Rose.

Waterhouse said Mayfair had things against him in the Golden Rose, which she said was the premier formline for the Caulfield Guineas.

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“There’s not much between them on the way the race was run probably suited Broadsiding the other day,” Waterhouse said.

“Not a leader won on the day. They were all swoopers that won.

“Take nothing away from Broadsiding, he has been a top two-year-old and a top three-year-old. He’s the horse to beat.

“But it will be competitive and we’ll be in there giving it our best shot.”

Wanaruah will tackle the Caulfield Guineas after a solid third in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude on September 21.

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Waterhouse said the experience around the Caulfield course would aid Wanaruah, who would have blinkers for the first time in the Caulfield Guineas.

She added her and Bott’s two runners would push forward, setting Broadsiding the task of reeling in the on-pace duo.

“He (Broadsiding) has got to run our horses down,” Waterhouse said.

“They’re very fit and very happy and racing very consistently.

“One has already had a run here at Caulfield, which is a big advantage on these tracks.”

Blake Shinn will ride Mayfair while Jye McNeil will be aboard Wanaruah.

Originally published as Gai Waterhouse plots Broadsiding ambush in 2024 Caulfield Guineas with Mayfair, Wanaruah