Gai Waterhouse, Lloyd Williams team up with Serpentine for the 2023 Melbourne Cup

Gai Waterhouse’s faux pas could have cost her a Melbourne Cup runner if it was said to just about anyone else except Lloyd Williams.

Gai Waterhouse speaks to Lloyd Williams and Nick Hall at trackwork.

Gai Waterhouse’s faux pas could have cost her a Melbourne Cup runner if it was said to just about anyone else except Lloyd Williams.

“I told Lloyd I don’t know who was training Serpentine last preparation but you didn’t get what you wanted from this horse,’’ Waterhouse said.

“Then Lloyd said to me, ‘I was training him, Gai’. It was so funny.’’

Only Waterhouse could get away with it. When you have been friends with Williams for a very long time, nearly 60 years in fact, it helps.

Williams, 83, the most successful owner in Melbourne Cup history, wasn’t concerned about Waterhouse’s awkward comment, preferring to talk of the trainer’s contribution to Australian racing.

“I went to the gallops at Moonee Valley the other morning and there was Gai, at 69 years of age, running around there like a teenager,’’ Williams said.

“What she has done for racing has been incredible. Her father, Tommy Smith, must look down from upstairs and say ‘isn’t my daughter amazing’.’’

Gai Waterhouse (left) and Lloyd Williams (dressed in black) watch their horses work at Moonee Valley with John Sadler and Jim Bowler. Picture: File

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On the eve of Tuesday’s $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington, the two Hall of Famers spoke to The Sunday Telegraph about their mutual admiration for each other – and why it took 20 years for the two of them to team up again.

Waterhouse, who trains in partnership with Adrian Bott, has the Williams-owned Serpentine and the tough Military Mission in the race that stops a nation.

Williams, chasing an eighth Melbourne Cup win, also has the Kris Lees-trained Cleveland.

“Gai’s father started training for me in 1969,’’ Williams recalled. “My first Group 1 horse was with Tommy, Lord Nelson, who won the (1973) Epsom Handicap and Doomben Cup.

“Everything I know about training racehorses, Gai’s father taught me.’’

Waterhouse initially chose a career as an actor but Williams always felt she would eventually find her true calling in racing.

“I see a lot of Tommy Smith in Gai and I thought it was a certainty she would end up in racing,’’ he said.

TJ Smith and Gai Waterhouse.

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“Tommy was always first to the track, his horses would finish by 6.15am and then he would go home and ring all his owners.

“Gai would be sitting at the kitchen table listening to all this so even if she wasn’t thinking of becoming a trainer at that time, she was living it.’’

Williams said Waterhouse has inherited her father’s meticulous nature and work ethic.

“The thing that has stuck in my mind all these years is that the only way you can be good with racehorses is with superior attention to detail,’’ he said.

“It is a terribly human business. Technology hasn’t helped one little bit. If you haven’t got the human hands there doing it, you can’t train racehorses.

“Tommy Smith’s attention to detail was amazing, he left nothing to chance. Gai is modelled on Tom, she is the same.’’

Just A Dash, ridden by jockey Peter Cook, wins the 1981 Melbourne Cup for trainer TJ Smith and owner Lloyd Williams. Picture: File

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Smith prepared Williams’s first Melbourne Cup winner with Just A Dash in 1981. The owner has also won the famous Flemington two-miler with What A Nuisance (1985), Efficient (2007), Green Moon (2012), Almandin (2016), Rekindling (2017) and Twilight Payment (2020).

“Gai wasn’t there the day Just A Dash won the Cup but TJ was in all his glory,’’ Williams said.

“Just A Dash was one of the few horses I was able to convince Tom to train him out of Melbourne for the whole spring. It was one of the few ‘wins’ I ever had with TJ and we happened to win the Melbourne Cup.’’

Waterhouse joined the list of Melbourne Cup-winning trainers with Fiorente in 2013 and revealed it was a great thrill when Williams reached out for her to train Serpentine for the race.

It is with deep sadness to hear of the passing of Fiorente. He gave me the greatest joy of my racing life winning the Melbourne Cup in 2013, exactly 10 years ago. He was the most beautiful horse to train, so talented and handsome, and he took everything before him. Vale Fiorente. pic.twitter.com/hnTnlVqtUo

— Gai Waterhouse AO (@GaiWaterhouse1) May 31, 2023

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“I’ve known Lloyd for a very long time,’’ Waterhouse said. “He has been a friend of my family since I was a little girl.

“But it’s been ages since I trained for Lloyd, it has been about 20 years, I think.

“When he rang earlier this year and said he is sending three horses to Adrian and me, it was a very joyous feeling.

“It’s so good to have the blue and white colours in our stable again, it’s great to be training for Lloyd again.’’

Serpentine just happens to be a former English Derby winner, romping home in the classic by nearly six lengths in 2020 when trained by Aidan O’Brien.

But Serpentine did not win another race until joining the Waterhouse-Bott stable and scoring on debut for his new trainers at Eagle Farm back in April.

Serpentine is just as tough as nails!@clarkyhk gives the @GaiWaterhouse1 and Adrian Bott trained galloper a textbook front running ride. pic.twitter.com/IMjH1ek14p

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 29, 2023

He’s held his form since and a last-start third in the Bart Cummings convinced connections the stayer deserved his chance in the Melbourne Cup.

“I could not be happier with Serpentine or Military Mission,’’ Waterhouse said. “They are going to the cup in super form.

“I don’t much about the overseas horses, no one bets on them which is sad in that respect, but it is what it is.

“All I can say is we have two horses that will run the two miles. Serpentine won the Epsom Derby by lengths so that tells you he can run a good race.

“Military Mission gets in with a luxury weight and Rachel King can ride him at the right weight.’’

"Military Mission got him right on the line."@RachelK11 gets the timing spot on as the @GaiWaterhouse1 & Adrian Bott grey takes out the @newcastleraces_ Cup over a game Spirit Ridge with Hosier in third. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/EY0Np3NUTN

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 15, 2023

For Williams, it’s almost like life has turned full circle as he teams up with Waterhouse for the Melbourne Cup.

“I’ve known Gai when she was 14 and look at her now, she has trained 158 Group 1 winners since 1992 – and remember how hard the administrators made it for her to get a licence,’’ Williams said.

“Her contribution to racing and to society is incredible. I was watching her with young Winona Costin at trackwork the other day, patting her on the back and encouraging her. She is fantastic with her staff, with people.

“I sing Gai’s praises from the highest tower.’’

Williams described Serpentine as an “each-way chance” in the Melbourne Cup but he is certain of one thing.

“I saw Serpentine the other day and Gai could not have him any fitter,’’ he said. “Her Dad will be looking down and saying well done.’’

Originally published as Gai Waterhouse, Lloyd Williams team up with Serpentine for the 2023 Melbourne Cup