Gai Waterhouse re-energised for the spring after enforced layoff
Gai Waterhouse’s long absence from the track after surgery earlier this year fuelled rumours she could retire — but she’s back and remains as driven as ever heading into the spring.
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The headline for this story could read: “She’s back!”
For the sport of racing, it is that dramatic. After months away from trackwork, Gai Waterhouse returned with her binoculars and stopwatch at Randwick last Tuesday.
She arrived unannounced, there was no media present, and went about her business like she had never been away.
This was the first time the Hall of Fame trainer had been at trackwork since February.
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Her absence fuelled racing’s rumour mill. Had she lost interest? Was she retiring?
Nothing could be further from the truth. Waterhouse remains as driven as ever.
She enjoys winning more than most, whether in a bush maiden in the bush or a Group 1 at Randwick, and you can hear the excitement in her voice when she talks about the new racing season and the coming spring carnival.
So, for someone who has been omnipresent in Sydney racing for three decades, where has Waterhouse been all these months?
The Hall of Fame trainer told The Sunday Telegraph she underwent surgery earlier this year, preferring to keep the reasons for the operation private.
But her doctors told her she would need plenty of rest. The healing process would take time.
How did a woman who has always lived her life on “fast forward” accept being told to slow down?
“After my operation I did want some down time. I knew I had to take it easy so I did,’’ Waterhouse said. “Then coronavirus came and it meant I had to do just what the doctors ordered.’’
Paradoxically, the global pandemic has done wonders for Waterhouse’s health. She was forced to take the extended break she needed to recuperate.
These days, Waterhouse is re-energised.
“I’m feeling terrific,’’ she said. “I really enjoy being back at trackwork again, I’ve always loved the early mornings at Randwick, it’s the best part of the day. The spring carnival beckons so I’m glad to be back – you need to be around the horses, I know that.’’
The racing industry has continued to function through the COVID-19 outbreak but the pandemic is causing real issues for racehorse trainers, too.
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“We have had a lot of stable employees that come from all over the world to work at our stables,’’ Waterhouse said.
“Over the years, we have found some wonderful horsemen and women. But with coronavirus that has stopped now and like a lot of stables we are finding it difficult to get staff.’’
Due to the staffing issues, Waterhouse will frequent trackwork more regularly in coming weeks but she isn’t about to repeat the daily grind that was her life for three decades.
“No, I won’t need to,’’ Waterhouse replied when asked if she planned to be at trackwork every morning.
“I’ve changed things around a little bit from what I used to do and when you have someone as capable and talented as Adrian (Bott, co-trainer) then the stable runs like clockwork.
“Adrian and I work so well together and he sees things in a very structured way. He thinks very clearly and sharply and knows what benefits our horses.
“Then with my experience, I like to think we have the best of both worlds.’’
Waterhouse and Bott have started their fifth season together as a training partnership. Already, they have trained 584 winners, nine at Group 1 level, with their runners amassing more than $40 million prizemoney.
They enjoyed their best-ever season in 2019-20, training 141 winners on all tracks including four Group 1 successes with Farnan (Golden Slipper), Con Te Partiro (Coolmore Classic, Queen of the Turf Stakes) and Shout The Bar (Vinery Stud Stakes).
As Waterhouse was convalescing, Bott was on the ground effectively orchestrating the stable’s autumn carnival success.
But the pair spoke more regularly than most married couples, calling each other up to 20 times a day from early morning trackwork right through the day, discussing everything from training routines to race programming for every horse in the stable.
“We do work very well together,’’ Waterhouse said. “We value each other’s opinion.’’
Waterhouse, with 143 Group 1 wins in her career to be third on the all-time list behind her father Tommy Smith (282) and Bart Cummings (268), believes the stable is well placed to enjoy more big-race success this spring carnival.
But as the world continues to deal with the pandemic, this won’t be a normal spring for Australian racing.
“It’s difficult to know what is going to happen in the next few weeks but as trainers all we can do is try to keep it business as usual,’’ Waterhouse said.
“But we won’t send anything to Melbourne until the last moment. Obviously we can’t go down there for the time being so we will have to do everything by Facetime.’’
Waterhouse nominated her autumn carnival Group 1 winners, Farnan, Con Te Partiro and Shout The Bar, along with the emerging Dawn Passage as the stable’s main big-race contenders this spring.
Farnan is near the top of betting for races like the Golden Rose and The Everest but Waterhouse said a spring race program for the Golden Slipper winner has not been finalised.
“What I can tell you is that Farnan has developed into a magnificent colt, he’s such an exciting young horse,’’ Waterhouse said.
“His owners want to get to the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington during Cup week so we will set a program and hope to pick up a few Group 1 races along the way.’’
Waterhouse confirmed Con Te Partiro remains in contention for the US Breeders Cup series later this year, while she is adamant the best is still to come from Shout The Bar.
“The Breeders Cup is the plan with Con Te Partiro and we will move heaven and earth to get there,’’ Waterhouse said. “Shout The Bar has to have grown a hand. She has furnished into a strong, powerful mare.’’
Dawn Passage won the Hawkesbury Guineas-Inglis Guineas-Fred Best Classic treble late last season and as a four-year-old Waterhouse believes the sprinter-miler can really make his mark this spring.
“He is a very, very good horse,’’ she said. “He came of age last time in, quite remarkably, and he is a horse to watch this spring.’’
This is the Gai Waterhouse of old. Confident, excited, animated, energetic. Welcome back!