Everything’s Just Fine for Hall of Fame trainer Gai Waterhouse in 2024 Melbourne Cup

Gai Waterhouse will have only one representative in this year’s $8m Melbourne Cup after deciding to push ahead with plans to run Just Fine, despite a “terrible” lead-up effort in last Friday’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

Gai Waterhouse will have only one representative in this year’s $8m Melbourne Cup after deciding to push ahead with plans to run Just Fine, despite a “terrible” lead-up effort in last Friday’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

It comes after the owners of well-regarded import Eliyass opted against pushing onto the 3200m race, preferring to switch back to the 2000m Champions Stakes on November 9.

Eliyass ran seventh in the Caulfield Cup following his impressive third to eventual Cox Plate winner Via Sistina and Buckaroo in the Turnbull Stakes earlier this month.

“The (syndicate) manager didn’t want him (Eliyass) pushed too far at his first prep here,” Waterhouse said.

“Even though they would love to see him run in the Cup, they want to keep him until next year.”

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It leaves Just Fine as Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s only runner in the Melbourne Cup this year, but the seven-year-old would need to lift dramatically to feature after finishing last, beaten more than 10 lengths, in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

But Waterhouse said Just Fine – who won direct entry into the Cup by winning the Bart Cummings – was a quirky horse who had shown before that he could bounce back after a poor performance.

“He’s a funny horse,” Waterhouse said. “He went to Caulfield (in the Cup) and spat the dummy and ran shockingly, then he came here (to the Valley) and spat the dummy and ran the same way.

“You put him at Flemington, you put him at Randwick, the bigger tracks – I don’t know what it is – but he just seems happier.”

Just Fine books his ticket into the Melbourne Cup! 🏆

What a day for @MyRacehorseAU and @GaiWaterhouse1! 👏 pic.twitter.com/VrDJZm1DNC

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 5, 2024

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Waterhouse said she had been buoyed by the fact that Just Fine pulled up well after the Moonee Valley Gold Cup.

“He licked the bin (on Friday night) and that made it all the more annoying,” she said. “Flemington is a different thing. He’s not under lights, all those things just upset him.

“It upset me (too).”

Gai Waterhouse arrives at the Flemington launch for Melbourne Cup week. Picture: Jason Edwards

The Waterhouse-Bott team will also have Golden Slipper-winning filly Lady Of Camelot chasing more Group 1 success in the $2m Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Saturday.

“She comes down on Tuesday to run,” Waterhouse said.

“She worked very pleasingly (on Saturday) for Adrian. She beat all the boys in the Golden Slipper, and she ran so well the other day (when fourth in The Everest).”

Originally published as Everything’s Just Fine for Hall of Fame trainer Gai Waterhouse in 2024 Melbourne Cup