Doncaster Mile 2020: Gai Waterhouse eyes record with Con te Partiro or Wolfe
Gai Waterhouse and training partner Adrian Bott are on a winning roll, but can it extend all the way to the Doncaster Mile? The iconic trainer has history in her sights.
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Gai Waterhouse has trained more Golden Slipper winners than anyone else – now she is after the Doncaster Mile record.
Racing’s first lady is aiming for an eighth Doncaster Mile with either Con Te Partiro or Wolfe on Day One of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Waterhouse and her training partner Adrian Bott are on a Group 1 winning roll after a memorable three week Golden Slipper Festival
Their famous Tulloch Lodge stables were represented by Group 1 winners on each Saturday – Con Te Partiro in the Coolmore Classic on March 14, Farnan won the Golden Slipper a week later and Shout The Bar led all the way in the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill last Saturday.
“We only have literally a handful of horses going around in these big races but they are flying the flag for our stable,’’ Waterhouse said.
“Adrian and I targeted these big races and we had a plan to get the right horses ready for them. We’ve had a great carnival but it has only just begun.’’
Farnan provided the Hall of Fame trainer a seventh Golden Slipper – and Bott his first – giving her the race training record she had previously shared with her father, the late Tommy Smith.
Waterhouse and Smith also hold the Doncaster training record with seven wins but racing’s first lady is hopeful of another milestone achievement if either Con Te Partiro or Wolfe win the famous Randwick mile on Saturday.
“Con Te Partiro will go to the Doncaster with Tim Clark to ride,’’ Waterhouse said.
“She is outstanding mare and is the type of horse suited to those big Randwick miles. She can win the Doncaster, she is as tough as teak.
“We are also hoping to get Wolfe into the Doncaster but he is a long way down the order of entry.’’
Waterhouse confirmed Shout The Bar will remain in training for the Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) on April 11.
“Shout The Bar is out a Savabeel mare and that is where she gets her ‘stickability’,’’ Waterhouse said of the filly’s staying ability.
Meanwhile, Waterhouse said Farnan is currently spelling but already the trainer is considering setting the brilliant colt for the $15 million The TAB Everest in October.
Waterhouse said her husband, Rob, has always maintained a good three-year-old would have a great chance in The Everest.
“The young horse can do anything,’’ she said. “They are like the young fighter or the young swimmer, they have this amazing adrenaline burst and I’m hoping Farnan can get to The Everest.’’
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CHRIS Waller also has designs on the Doncaster training record adding more interest to the opening day of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Sydney’s premier trainer has trained six Doncaster winners and another success would mean he equals the records of Gai Waterhouse and Tommy Smith.
Waller could have as many as six Doncaster runners with Kolding (Hugh Bowman), Mister Sea Wolf (James McDonald), Kings Will Dream (Josh Parr), Yulong Prince (Brenton Avdulla), Imaging (Kerrin McEvoy) and Shared Ambition (Jay Ford), while stablemate Star Of The Seas is a fringe runner but no jockey has been confirmed yet.
“Kolding has his share of weight but he is back racing right-handed again,’’ Waller said. “We have taken the blinkers off him, they didn’t work.
“Mister Sea Wolf is a model of consistency, Kings Will Dream has freshened up nicely, Yulong Prince keeps running good races, and Imaging came through his Ajax Stakes win very well.
“With Shared Ambition, I’m toying with whether we put blinkers on him. I will make that decision (tomorrow) morning.’’
He also confirmed flying machine Nature Strip will run in the TJ Smith Stakes but the trainer hinted Reloaded may miss the ATC Australian Derby (2400m) and instead be freshened for the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m).
The Waller stable is also in Group 1-winning form after outstanding mare Verry Elleegant romped away with the Tancred Stakes at Rosehill last Saturday.
Waller said Verry Elleegant is a very real chance of the contesting the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on April 11, setting up a return clash with her Ranvet Stakes conqueror, English stayer Addeybb.
“Verry Elleegant produced a very dominant display, it certainly proves her superiority as a stayer,’’ Waller said.
“I won’t be in a rush to turn her out, we will keep the Queen Elizabeth Stakes dream alive a little longer as obviously she is racing so well.’’
James McDonald, who won on Verry Elleegant in the Tancred, is already booked for Japanese star Danon Premium in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes so Waller will need to find a new jockey for the mare if she runs next week.
Waller also revealed his long-term plans for Verry Elleegant are the Cups in Melbourne next spring.
“Darren Weir said to me when I started training this mare she was my Melbourne Cup horse,’’ Waller said.
“She wasn’t ready for it last spring but the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup are the races I’d like to set her for later this year. She has a great set of lungs on her.’’
Waller also hinted he is likely to press on with plans to run Funstar in the ATC Australian Oaks despite her unplaced effort in the Vinery Stud Stakes.
“We haven’t discounted the race (Oaks) but we will ride her a lot quieter, get her to switch off with cover,’’ Waller said of Funstar.
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CHAMPION jockey Hugh Bowman is appealing the 19-day suspension he received after stewards determined he didn’t ride out Avilius to the line when third in the Tancred Stakes.
Bowman, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, has a good book of rides next Saturday with Kolding (Doncaster), Bivouac (TJ Smith Stakes), King’s Legacy (Sires) and Electrified (Country Championships).
In other jockey news, Kerrin McEvoy rides Imaging (Doncaster), Redzel (TJ Smith), Aim (Sires), Nash Rawiller is on Homesman (Doncaster), Reloaded (Derby) and Mamaragan (Sires), while Glen Boss has Brandenburg (Doncaster), Loving Gaby (TJ Smith), Larimer Street (Sires) and Fast Talking (Country Championships).
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THE coronavirus pandemic has forced Racing NSW to order jockeys to ride in their selected regions which means Greg Ryan can’t stay on Healing Hands in the Country Championships Final on Saturday.
Adam Hyeronimus, who rode his first Group 1 winner on Shout The Bar at Rosehill last Saturday, is the new rider of Healing Hands.
ROSEHILL SNAPSHOT
By Ron Dufficy
RUN OF THE DAY
How can you go past this bonny mare Verry Elleegant after smashing her rivals in the Kia Tancred Stakes. She now might face a monumental task taking on a very hot Queen Elizabeth now but she has positioned herself well.
FORGET THEY RAN
Beaten favourite Villami is a speedy filly who couldn’t find the lead in her race. She will be a much better type when she gets back to the dry to cash in on her speed.
T HE BLACK BOOK
I didn’t mind the Australian debut of the import Surrey Thunder. In a race that was too short for him I thought he worked home ok after being hampered in the straight. He should pay his way when he eventually finds his right races.
RIDE OF THE DAY
James McDonald and Tom Marquand were stars again dominating the program but Adam Hyeronimus gets the nod for dictating terms on Shout The Bar winning his first group 1.
NSW RACING – THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday: Wagga Wagga
Tuesday: Newcastle, Grafton
Wednesday: Rosehill Gardens
Thursday: Gosford
Friday: Tamworth
Saturday: Royal Randwick, Hawkesbury, Albury, Taree, Wellington
Sunday: Gundagai, Wellington