Gai Waterhouse and Mikel Delzangles caught up in race-day treatment furore

THERE was drama before the Cup with Gai Waterhouse and Mikel Delzangles asked to explain why their horses received race-day treatments.

THERE was plenty of drama before the Cup yesterday with both Gai Waterhouse and Mikel Delzangles asked to explain why their horses received race-day treatments.

Waterhouse was hauled in after it was discovered Tres Blue had been treated first thing in the morning with Flamazine, an antibiotic which helps with skin infections.

Stewards learned Tres Blue had the cream applied to his heel at 6am. Under racing's rules, no horses can be treated on race day.

Waterhouse was unaware of the incident, and was sent away to get a ``please explain'' from her staff.

When she returned, an army of press followed her into the stewards room to hear her describe the drama as ``human error''.

``They've made an honest mistake,'' Waterhouse said.

Chief stipe Terry Bailey said: ``We have to adjourn this matter to resolve it, rather than work it out on a big day like today.''

Bailey then took a subtly swipe at Waterhouse and said ``Desert War comes to mind'', which was in reference to her former champion being treated with a similar cream on the morning of a Cox Plate.

Waterhouse shot back: ``You've got a better memory than me, sir.''

As for Delzangles, who saddled up Dunaden, stewards asked why he had received an anti-ulcer treatment.

``I'm really sorry, it's a mistake, and we didn't think we were doing something wrong,'' Delzangles said.

Both treatments were not prohibited, and therefore both horses allowed to start in the Cup.

Some were asking why Waterhouse and Delzangles were sweet, yet Paul Beshara was forced to scratch Happy Trails before the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.

As Bailey pointed out, Waterhouse and Delzangles had used legal drugs, while Happy Trails had bruising on the neck, and there was no certainty as to what the horse may have been administered.

That didn't stop Beshara's lawyer James Williams turning to Twitter and posting: ``If any horse is found to be treated on race day then the trainer shall receive six months #mandatorysentences #noroomtomove.''

John Singleton and Clarry Connors know their race is run as Dear Demi fails to see out the trip. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Singo suggests might be time for Tom to grow up

JOHN Singleton noticed Tom Waterhouse's little dig at him in yesterday's At The Track on tour.

In a nutshell, Waterhouse has no plans to smoke the peace pipe with Singo after the More Joyous inquiry.

Singo hit back yesterday, saying: ``Tom should grow up. I'm still waiting for his baby teeth to fall out. He's got plenty of them.''

And the Mr Grumpy award goes to...

THE prize for ``Most Grumpy Trainer at Flemington'' went to Bryce Stanaway.

Stanaway started Craft Cruiser in the Carnival Handicap (2800m), and had jockey Ben Melham down to ride. Rival hoop Michael Walker kicked up a stink and claimed he was booked for the ride.

The stewards intervened and told Stanaway that Melham could go around in the race, but Walker would have to be paid any winning or losing riding fee.

Stanaway let rip, requesting stewards ``charge Walker with lying''.

Crafty Cruiser never got sighted, and Stanaway told At The Track afterwards:

``I've never been so happy for a horse not to run in the money, otherwise he (Walker) would have got his riding fee for doing nothing.

"I was trying to give Ben Melham his riding instructions, but the stewards were hammering the shit out of me and on my back. It was a complete muck up and waste of a day.

``There's a rule for one, and there's a rule for others.''

'The Duke' Nash and his hard-earned cash

POOR old Nash Rawiller earned every bit of his $170 riding fee yesterday after he lost both irons and the saddle slipped on Opinion.

Rawiller looked like John Wayne as he hobbled back to the enclosure, and no doubt in need of a good ice pack.

But he kept his sense of humour, breaking into a high-pitched voice and telling the press: ``I'm not too bad, boys''.

Opinion had no chance once the saddle slipped. Rawiller did a cool job hanging on the whole way. In an act of good faith, corporate bookies Sportsbet refunded $200,000 invested on the horse.

Gai Waterhouse with the press after her first Cup triumph. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Gai always beating the Drum

IT'S the race that stops a press conference.

Ever the professional, Gai Waterhouse was in the middle of her Melbourne Cup meet and greet with the media when she became distracted by a race on a nearby TV.

Despite all the cameras fixed on her, Waterhouse pointed out Rain Drum was contesting the Visit Victoria Plate (1800m).

The first prizemoney was $90,000, which was chump change compared to the $3.6 million she had won with Fiorente just moments earlier on the same Flemington program.

‎''This is my horse,'' Waterhouse said, hoping the questions from the floor would momentarily stop.

''He won Shannon Stakes, then ran a nice fourth at Moonee Valley the other night.

''It's a muddling, race isn't it?''

Rain Drum hit the front in the straight, but as he ran out of gas, Waterhouse said: ''No, he's gone.''

SPOTTED: A clean-shaven David 'Wolfman' Williams waiting for a train well after the last at Flemington.

WHICH respected racing writer backed Opinion, who had its saddle slip, and Verema, who broke down and was destroyed. What a mock.

Why Melbourne isn't cool #7

You get burnt when the weather doesn't even reach 22 degrees. What's doing?