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GAI’S GAZETTE6TH EDITION/FEBRUARY 2014

Travolta dances away with Australia Day Cup

EDITOR-IN-CHIEf Lea Stracey

CONTRIBUTORS Gai Waterhouse Bruce Slade Lea Stracey Rob Waterhouse Zeb Armstrong Madison Whant Tessa Hetherington

GRapHIC DESIGN & layOUT Madison Whant

CHIEf pHOTOGRapHER Bradley Photographers www.bradleyphotos.com.au

EDITORIal pHOTOGRapHERNeed for Steed Aus. www.needforsteed.com.au aDvERTISERS AUSHORSE Bluebloods BradfieldCleary Burnewang North Coolmore Eliza Park International Equiano Marcus Oldham Mittys Wild Oaks Yarraman Park Widden

aDvERTISING MaNaGER Ric Chapman [email protected]

pRINTERS Graphic Impressions

GAI’S GAZETTE

Welcome to our latest edition of Gai’s Gazette and the first for 2014.It is with great sadness we record the pass-ing of the Thoroughbred Racing Industry’s most innovative and beloved veterinarian, Dr Percy Sykes. How curious, yet perhaps appropriate that according to the Chinese Calendar, this is the Year of the Horse, the animal that was foremost in the care and concern of this gentle veterinarian. As you will read, he lived a full and fruitful life and was a great pioneer and contributor to the Thoroughbred Racing Industry.The stable stars have been firing the past few weeks and I am sure you will enjoy reading about the foremen who look after their charges in the various “barns” around

Kensington.We welcome Bruce Slade and his new venture in Round Table Racing. Many of you know Bruce from his previous position as Gai’s Racing Manager. In-side, he shares his vision and the changes he has in store…Rob Waterhouse’s article on The Proposed New Track Rating Structure makes for very interesting and thought provoking reading. We wonder what your thoughts are on this subject? Sir Patrick Hogan has long been a successful breeder of horses in New Zea-land. His discussions on bloodlines are fascinating and informative and Zeb Armstrong’s questions are very cleverly conceived.Recently I was at the Randwick barrier trials where an age range of Gai’s charges, both staying and sprinting types were competing under trial conditions. Champions like Fiorente, Glencadam Gold and Julienas put in super performances. It was also exciting to watch the two-year-old trials of Wandjina and Precia who will be very competitive in the rich two-year-old races ahead. With all the sales in the first half of the year there will be some wonderful opportunities to share in the thrill of racing and winning. Make sure you check our website in the coming months for your next champion. Exciting times ahead indeed.See you at the races.

Lea StraceyEditor-In-Chief

4 www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au

www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au 5

Page 6 Performance of the Month:

Sweet Idea by Zeb Armstrong

Pages 8 - 9 From the Pen of the Lady Trainer

Pages 10 - 13 Introducing Round Table Racing

by Bruce Slade

Pages 14 - 15 Vale Percy Sykes by Lea Stracey

Pages 16 - 18 Proposed New Track Rating

Structure by Rob Waterhouse

Pages 20 - 25 Inside Tulloch Lodge by Madison

Whant

Pages 26 - 27 A Bright Future for John Sheridan

by Madison Whant

Pages 28 - 29 Looking Through a Magnifying

Glass by Zeb Armstrong

Pages 30-31 Richard Rutherford - A Farmer’s

Success by Zeb Armstrong

Page 32 Eliza Park International - A Mega

Force

Pages 34 - 36 “A Glimpse in the Mind of the

‘Lady Trainer’” by Tessa

Hetherington

Pages 38 - 41 Sir Patrick Hogan and the Zabeel

Dynasty by Zeb Armstrong

Page 42 First Season Sire: Hinchinbrook

by Zeb Armstrong

Pages 44 - 45 Recent Winners

Page 46 Only the Best Opportunities for

Gai’s Rising Stars by Madison Whant

Contents

page 6

page 10

page 14

page 38


Success at the Magic Millions: Sweet Idea (Snitzel x Flidais)

The sensational mare Sweet Idea (Sweet Idea x Flidais) produced a brilliant display of sustained speed to win the Magic Millions

three-year-old Guineas on the Gold Coast on what was a ‘wonderful Waterhouse’ Magic Millions day on the 11th of January 2014. It was a great win not only because the best horse won, but also first prize was a generous amount of money. Was the win ever in doubt? 200m after jumping James McDonald had Sweet Idea leading and, it seemed, cruising effortlessly along. Despite the horrible barrier 13, the race was almost a forgone conclusion after a furlong.Sweet Idea was pushed out of the barriers by jockey James McDonald to find the early lead, and this is where the filly stayed for the entire race. From the 1000m to the 600m, James consolidated his position in the lead, then at the 600m the filly really switched off and allowed James to dictate terms. This is where the race was won, because Sweet Idea was allowed a nice break before she was again revved up at the 300m where she

kicked strongly and never even looked like being headed. James pushed the filly right out and just on the line she again extended which indicates she may even get close to a mile in future starts.Sweet Idea has now had nine starts for four wins, four seconds and one third. She is yet to miss a place which demonstrates exactly how she gives her very best at each and every start she has. Previously at Wyong, in their Magic Millions three-year-old race, the filly won on pure class. She had a lot of tightening up to do after that race, and by the time the Gold Coast Magic Millions came around, Gai had Sweet Idea looking like an amazon warrior in the mounting yard. She was rock hard fit and she was just exuding a certain confidence and happiness. It was magnificent to see her go back to the Gold Coast and go one better than she had the previous year in the Magic Millions two-year-old race. Sweet Idea in just nine starts has won 1.5 million dollars for her connections (over six times her purchase price). Not too bad for a filly that has just come off a three month spell. She is

Performance of the Month

Photo by Bradley Photography

bigger and better than ever, and although Gai never makes decisions in the winning stalls, it might be okay to think that Sweet Idea will be very hard to beat in some of the bigger 1200m – 1600m races during the revamped Sydney Autumn Carnival and perhaps even one or two of the time honoured Melbourne sprints. Melbourne would be lucky to have her, but of course Gai will know what is best and she will let the racing world know soon enough. Congratulations to all the owners of this filly. She is something to behold in the way she just tries as hard as she can when she is asked. She wants to win and in the end, that is all we can ask for in a young horse. Well done also to James McDonald on a very confident ride. After the race James mentioned to Gai within ear shot of the television cameras that he was not going to get beaten after getting such an easy time in front. But he still had to get the filly into that position from the wide barrier, and once he did, the smiles in the grandstand broadened to whoops of joy that continued into the night! ▣

Sweet Idea and James McDonald winning the

2014 Magic Millions Guineas

Sweet Idea

© Magic Millions


From the Pen of the Lady TrainerAll the major sales throughout

Australia occur from the begin-ning of January until the middle of April.

There are a few exceptions, but for the most-part these are the sales that capture the world’s attention. We are famous for our globetrotting sprinters that have come out of these sales. Black Caviar, Scenic Blast, Choisir, Miss Andretti and Takeover Target have all won at Royal Ascot after starting their careers in Australia. Last century it was our stayers that ventured abroad to compete and plenty did with distinction, horses like Tobin Bronze, Phar Lap, Shannon, Sailor’s Guide.I’m often asked what I look for in a yearling when I’m at the sales. One of the most cru-cial things I look for in a yearling is balance. I want a yearling that can walk out of its box, can gallop in a paddock and can balance itself nicely while doing so. Intelligence, awareness and alertness are also crucial traits. I like a yearling to be tractable in order to help it reach its full potential. The second absolute non-negotiable is that a yearling has to have a good attitude. The wrong attitude or ‘attitude’ as I like to call it, will stop a young horse from having the willingness that makes a horse a champion. I have had great success at the various sales with these personal guidelines in mind in seeking the future champions of Tulloch Lodge.This year at the Magic Millions sales I secured the services of expert horseman John Brocklebank as an extra pair of eyes for our team. John started in the football ranks in America where he learnt what makes an athlete. Even observing his personal routine in the week we were together, it was interesting to see how regular exercise and careful eating are still such an important part of his life. Like me John places great emphasis on the athlet-icism of a horse. My team and I very much enjoyed his contribution to our discussions

and decision making. When I refer to the right attitude in a year-ling it is something that I also expect from the boys and girls that work with me. The right attitude is just as crucial in a worker as it is in a yearling. My team needs to set goals and stop at nothing to achieve them. I do this every day and I like the team around me to strive for the same levels of greatness.The yearling sales are exciting and I abso-lutely love them. My father told me a long time ago that it is important to go to the sales because it is a meeting place and you never know who you will meet. This year at the Gold Coast I was reintroduced to Jon Kelly and his wife Sarah. I first met them in Lexington Kentucky and it was great to catch up with them again at the Magic Millions. Jon loves Australian racing and breeding and he is great mates with Reg Inglis. Only minutes

before lot 434 a colt by Redoute’s Choice out of a mare named Hades walked into the ring, Jon and I among others were sitting at a table close to the front of the ring. We were discussing many yearlings including this Redoute’s Choice colt. I trained this colt’s grandmother Hasna for George Altomonte so I knew that there was plenty of speed in the family. Redoute’s Choice is getting older, but he has been one of the most influential and successful sires in Australia for a long time. The vendor for lot 434 was Newhaven Park, a family owned stud. John Kelly Jnr runs the farm and he is continuing a proud tradition that is now four generations old. I noted the Redoute’s colt had handled the sales well. He was a ‘real cool dude’ and exactly what I was looking for in a yearling. This colt was pulled out of his box time and time again. He was

Gai with the Redoute’s Choice x Hades colt


continually being poked and prodded and he took it all in his stride. Just what I like to see - a relaxed and laid back attitude. Needless to say, the hammer was knocked down to a small group of owners including the Kelly’s and I’m thrilled to have been chosen as his trainer. A very valued member of my selection team is James Harron. James first worked for me several years ago as a younger man after his time at Coolmore. He then travelled overseas and worked in the horse industry and upon returning to Australia became a bloodstock agent. James and I came together again two years ago. James is young, stimulating, and vital to my success. He has a competitive spirit yet is a balanced soul with a calming personality. Dare I say it, he is much like a good yearling.

How a yearling copes with the week of the sales is an important indicator as to their metal. They are under pressure from the mo-

ment they leave home. As we know January is one of the hottest months of our year. Many of these yearlings travel hundreds of miles by float to the Gold Coast Sales. This heat and cramped conditions prior arrival alone would test most animals including us humans! Then there is the week of constant inspection in and out of stalls, the grooming, and the con-tinuing heat. The good yearlings take it all in their stride. Indeed, I love it when on second inspection I can see that they have thrived. As I write I am in New Zealand for the Kara-ka Sales. They are in full swing and I look

forward to bringing a prospective champion or two back to Australian shores. Ahead of me are the Inglis Premier Sales in Melbourne which start on 2nd of March. In doing my Magic Million inspections I have already previewed some of the entrants in the Premier Sales. I observed that the recent mild winter throughout Victoria has benefitted the year-lings down there. They have just the strongest bone and there will be plenty of lots that will cause a frenzy of bidding. I enjoy the month of April not only because it is the begining of autumn but also because it brings the excitement and challenge of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sales. I love the fact that these sales are almost right in the middle

of the city. It facilitates easy access for so many of our clients as well as many trainers. The sales ring is less than ten minutes from the Sydney CBD and ten minutes from the international airport. Position position posi-tion. Nowhere else in the world is the sales ring in such a perfect place. Not only is its position so special but the beautiful old barns that stable the horses are an attraction as are the manicured green spaces and the garden around the Inglis home. As well as sitting in the theatre of the familiar sale ring, another popular bidding spot is under the ancient and grand Moreton Bay fig tree. Rumour has it this tree is in excess of 150 years old! It holds a special place in many of our hearts. For me it not only brings to mind memories of successful bidding but childhood and teenage experiences of being with my father. It is exciting to think that this year across the road we will have the new riches of the Sydney Autumn Carnival. People flock to the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale at the Newmar-ket complex to see the best yearlings in the southern hemisphere. This year will be the same.

*At the time of print Gai had saddled up 418 starters in the current racing season (1 August – 18 January) with a staggering 371 earning a cheque for their connections. This is an amazing achievement; 89% of Gai’s runners this season have produced a return for their owners on race day. Simply extraordinary. ▣

John Brocklebank inspecting a yearling

Gai and Lea at work

Introducing Round Table Racing


How I came to be at Tulloch Lodge

First meetingI remember the first time I met Gai like it was yesterday. She did not know who I was, any of my background, not even my name. She must have seen something she liked in me though as she walked down a flight of stairs through a crowd of people to get to me. She quickly introduced herself and offered me a job on the spot.

New Zealand Bloodstock:The first time I met Gai I was in my second year with New Zealand Bloodstock where I was a Marketing Assistant, Bloodstock Agent (South Island NZ) and budding auctioneer under Petrea Vela and Andrew Seabrook.I applied for the role after completing my Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Man-agement) degree at Otago University and my NZTBA awarded Sunline Management Scholarship which took me through England, Ireland and America where I worked with, and learned from, some of the best minds in the world of thoroughbred breeding and racing.One of my tasks at New Zealand Bloodstock was to bid-spot at all the auction sales we conducted throughout the year. The biggest

sale in New Zealand is the National Year-ling Sales Series which is held over a week at Karaka each year in late January/early February. The sale attracts Australia’s biggest buyers who come in search of yearlings with the propensity to stay in time.In 2010 Gai returned to the iconic sale and I was bid-spotting at my excitable best; run-ning up and down, waving my arms around, and yelling at the top of my lungs whenever I was lucky enough to catch sight of a bid from my corner on the horse for sale, parading in the inside ring behind me.It was after watching me here over a few hours that Gai approached me about joining her team. I learned later that John Henderson, Rob Waterhouse and Bruce and Lea Stracey were instrumental in supporting the idea before I received those fateful words. The conversation went exactly like this:Gai: Young man, my name is Gai Waterhouse and I would like for you to join my team in Sydney.Bruce: Wow Gai! You are one of my heroes. I appreciate the opportunity. Can I think about it?Gai: Don’t think about it just come.Though a sudden and major decision at the time for me, how glad I am to have taken the position on 15 March, 2010 in blind faith (sprinkled with a sense of anticipation and

adventure).

Tulloch Lodge:To my surprise I landed in Australia to take up a position that really did not exist yet. In Gai’s wisdom, under my title as Assistant Bloodstock Manager to Kate Grimwade, I was asked to do a number of tasks right across the Gai Waterhouse Racing business including track work, clocking and scribing, track flashes, plenty of office administration and a little bit of sales. The first major task I undertook was actually managing the produc-tion of Gai’s Blog in book format – Gai: In My Words which was published by Slattery Media.Kate Grimwade was wonderful to work with and learn under. Her homesickness meant my time with her was cut short though. Her re-turn to England a few months after my arrival saw me thrust into the Bloodstock Manager role and so began a chapter in my career that would set me up for life.In my three and half-years as Gai’s Blood-stock Manager we bought and sold over 300 yearlings and tried horses from all over Australia, New Zealand and Europe - more than $60m worth of bloodstock. I was lucky to celebrate 21 Group One victories with Gai and her owners, no doubt the most satisfying part of the role.

A new venture for former Gai Waterhouse Racing Manager, Bruce Slade

By Bruce Slade


Some particularly satisfying moments were: • Two Golden Slippers with Pierro and Overreach • Fiorente second in the 2012 Melbourne Cup before winning it the following year • Caulfield Cup with Descarado • Doncaster Handicap with More Joyous • Metropolitan Handicap with Glencadam Gold and the Epsom with Fat Al on the same day • Five runners in the 2012 Golden Slipper – four of them purchased by our team including Pierro, Raceway, Driefontein, No Looking Back. • Magic Millions quinella – Driefontein and No Looking Back

The most important aspect of the role for me however was the fact that I was able to spend so much time with Gai Waterhouse and learn from her every step of the way. Gai is a master in every respect and these are the six most important things I think I have learned from her:

Work ethic: Success is the result of hard yards, plenty of hours and attention to detail. Open mind:Gai has the most magnificent ability to keep an open mind to every idea, every horse, every person, every moment. She is never afraid to go ‘outside the square’ in search of a solution.

Compassion: She genuinely cares for each and every one of her owners, staff and horses, and treats them all as if they are a part of the family

Confidence:Gai believes in herself and backs herself. She makes a decision and then ensures it happens.

Lot 15 Snitzel x Redeeming Lass Round Table Racing’s first ever Magic Millions Purchase

Bruce and Gai inspecting yearlings

Energy: A positive attitude and outlook reflects on you and your business. Gai oozes positivity and it is infectious.

Teacher: Gai loves sharing her knowledge and people who are prepared to listen quickly reap the reward through responsibility. This reflects in the high quality staff she has surrounded herself with at Tulloch Lodge.

Round Table Racing:After spending three and a half years at Tulloch Lodge I reached the point where I wanted to implement the life and business skills Gai had so kindly passed on to me. I have always been quite entrepreneurial and from my early teens I was lucky enough to know that I wanted to make my profession in the thoroughbred industry. With Gai and Rob Waterhouse’s support and spurred on by the success of peers my own age, James Harron and Henry Field,

I started Round Table Racing in September 2013.At Gai’s I learned that I enjoyed the company of people and horses. Further, I get on with a wide range of people and have a strong drive to please them. In fact, for me, nothing is more satisfying than sharing victory with cli-ents in a horse that we have selected for them. I love seeing them laugh, smile, clap, hug, high five, high ten, cry and cheer at the top of their lungs. Making a career of those kind of post race celebrations appeals to me and I feel blessed to be involved in a sport that can change peoples’ lives like horse racing can.Initially I was working with Gai to secure tried horses for clients of the stable. We have been lucky enough to secure Tres Blue, Excess Knowledge, Role Model, and two NZ Ready To Run purchases by O’Reilly and Domesday. I hope that this group can really start to fly the flag for Round Table Racing later this year.Three days before this year’s Magic Millions 2014 I was handed the biggest opportunity of all - to join up with Gai and become her primary syndicator (subject to approval by Racing NSW). I backed myself at the sale, as Gai would have done, and purchased 15 year-lings. They are strong, mature, early running types by Australia’s very best stallions. I am so happy with the group Gai, James Harron, our vet Dr Greg Nash and I came together to secure. I am positive in the future this group can be the foundation of plenty of racetrack success and joy for Tulloch Lodge and Round Table Racing clients. I really am living the dream and feel blessed to be ‘touched’ by thorough-bred racing. Now my job is to share the Sport of Kings with as many people as possible. That is the beautiful thing about syndication after all. ▣


Our 2014 Magic Millions Purchases

Lot 15 Snitzel x Redeeming Lass filly purchased for $120,000

Lot 44 Hinchinbrook x Saint Minerva filly purchased for $120,000

Lot 61 Snitzel x Seriously colt purchased for $180,000

Lot 77 Hinchinbrook x Simply Enchanting filly purchased for $110,000

Lot 79 Hinchinbrook x Single Rose colt purchased for $190,000

Lot 99 Lonhro x Spectrolite filly purchased for $160,000

Lot 101 Not A Single Doubt x Speedy Bell filly

purchased for $170,000

Lot 150 Snitzel x Triple Crown colt purchased for $160,000

Lot 157 Exceed and Excel x Undercover filly purchased for $130,000

Lot 279 More Than Ready x Cinque Cento colt purchased for $160,000

Lot 315 Star Witness x Dangerous Dancer filly

purchased for $90,000

Lot 447 Congrats x Hickory Hills colt purchased for $85,000

Lot 456 Malibu Moon x Homerette filly purchased for $140,000

Lot 510 Wanted x Lady’s Wish colt purchased for $160,000

Lot 598 Exceed and Excel x Mrs Slocombe filly

purchased for $120,000.

Introducing Round Table Racing cont.....

Lot 510 Wanted x Lady’s Wish

Lot 99 Lonhro x Spectrolite

Lot 598 Exceed and Excel x Mrs Slocombe


Where does the name Round Table Racing come from?

Round Table Racing Director Bruce Slade named the company after the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The Round Table ensures everyone has equal say and involvement, while King Arthur and his Knights ruled under the Code of Chivalry with virtues of honour and courtesy. Chivalry is of course derived from the French term chevalerie meaning horse soldiery through gallantry and service to others. Under this Code Knights vowed to be loyal, generous, truthful and respectful. All the qualities mentioned above are important to the spirit in which business is conducted by RTR.Further, Bruce’s father’s name was Arthur so there is also a close personal connection to the name. Round Table was of course the name of American Hall of Fame racehorse, the bay stallion considered the greatest Amer-ican turf horse of all time. He won 43 races, 14 in track record time along with a world record and two US records. Round Table went on to be a Champion sire and he is still seen in international pedigrees to this day, predominantly through AP Indy in America, and Sir Tristram and his descendants Zabeel and Lonhro in Australia. ▣

Gai and Bruce at work


Vale Percy Sykes MRCVS, MACVSc ,AM

Percy Edwin Sykes was born almost a century ago to an English father and an Italian mother in Atbara, a white settlement on the banks of

the River Nile near Khartoum. His father had been posted there as a mechanical engineer working with the British Colonial Service.When his father died suddenly of suspected food poisoning, his mother took her three sons (Percy was the middle son) back to England for their schooling. Percy excelled at sport, specifically rugby and hockey and he was also captain of the cricket team. When he finished his schooling, he was encouraged to apply for studies in medicine. However, in 1937 there was a shortage of veterinarian surgeons, so Percy enrolled in the Royal Veterinary College. All the while at university he continued his leadership in rugby and cricket teams. It was also perhaps here at College that Percy learnt the value of dressing appropriately if one was a professional person. His Professor, George Wooldridge instilled this concept in him. Many of Percy’s contemporaries and friends often observed his immaculate dress sense, particularly while working.In 1940, just as he was about to sit for his final Pharmacology exam, he was informed that his older brother had been shot down over Crete. His inner strength helped him pass this exam successfully and he qualified as a veterinary surgeon. Before being com-missioned he did locum work treating small animals and horses. In December 1943 he enlisted in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and was posted to India where he spent the latter part of the war. While Executive Veterinary Officer in Luc-know, he became responsible for the buffalo and pig farms. There had been an outbreak of foot and mouth disease and he successfully

treated these animals with penicillin, being one of the first vets to do so.One of Percy’s wonderful memories of this time tells the remarkable story of having to take out the vocal cords of mules for agents that were being dropped furtively into Burma at night. Amazingly these voiceless animals were apparently also tranquilised just enough to load them onto pallets attached to para-chutes, then dropped from the aircrafts behind enemy lines. Percy had met his first wife in England and they married in Calcutta. He became Honorary Veterinary Surgeon at the Calcutta Turf Club where he became involved with the thoroughbred and this was the beginning of a situation that would influence the rest of his life and career.Returning to London’s East End, Percy bought a draft horse practice and continued his work with the horse. At this time he also was a consultant for Lloyds of London. In 1947 his daughter Gay was born and another daughter Averil soon followed. In 1951 Percy chose to emigrate to Austra-lia with his young family and he entered a practice with the promise of a home and a car. After ten days he resigned as these promises were not met. He moved to Croydon Park (Canterbury) and set up practice there. In the area were about six hundred thoroughbreds as well as trotting and pacing horses. Percy was dedicated and hardworking and would attend morning track work at 4.30am to observe these performance horses.Soon people began talking about “that Pom-mie vet” and by the mid fifties Percy had an extensive clientele which included the major stables of Randwick trainer Tommy Smith. Tommy and Percy not only forged a strong and lifelong friendship but became a team to be reckoned with in the ensuing years of rac-

ing. When Bart Cummings left Adelaide and Melbourne and came to Sydney in the late seventies he too enjoyed a close association with Percy.In 1975 after years of hard work, Percy and his partners were able to purchase a block of stables in Randwick. They built a custom designed practice which included a surgery. They soon outgrew this practice and in 1990 built a larger hospital and laboratory which we now know as the Randwick Equine Centre. Percy continued to consult until very recently. The last horse he attended to before he died was the Queen’s horse, Carlton House for Gai Waterhouse. Percy is survived by his daughters Gay and Averil from his first mar-riage and his wife Michelle and their children daughter, Amelia and son, Tim.On Friday, 17th January 2014, a public wake was held in the new Grandstand Ballroom at Royal Randwick. Family, friends and col-leagues gathered to celebrate the life of this wonderful much loved and respected man. Close friend Alan Jones delivered a heartfelt and most eloquent eulogy which afforded those present a time to reflect on his many achievements.Percy Edwin Sykes touched the lives of many both professionally and personally. Recently I spoke with protégée and veterinar-ian John Peatfield who told me that Percy is responsible for many of the major advance-ments in equine veterinary racetrack practices in modern times. John informed me that Percy became the world authority on the high performance horse. Percy’s advancements include the feeding of “high octane” feed rations, the introduction of feed supplements, blood analysis to moni-tor how a horse was responding to training, standing castrations, and using penicillin in the horse. With all these innovations,

(11th May,1920 – 13th January,2014)

By Lea StraceyPercy wearing his Order of Australia medal


Percy became the “go to” man and became sought after around the world. At one stage he had representatives in Hong Kong and Iran as well as partners in branch practices in Melbourne and Brisbane. Percy himself went to America and delivered a paper on blood analysis in the horse. Robert Sangster in England also sought Percy’s advice. John remembers Percy as a generous teacher who practised constantly with an inquiring mind, always experimenting and gathering data. He confirms Percy’s keen interest in the physiology of the horse. He said Percy watched horses being overtrained and underfed with the end result they were lacking in nutrition and electrolytes. Percy founded Ranvet, a company that provides supplements and feed devised for all stages of growth in the performance horse.Percy was often spoken about as “the doctor you called when all hope is lost”. The story of how he saved the mighty Tulloch for his close friend Tommy Smith is legendary. Tulloch had been diagnosed with an acute stomach ailment. Percy wove his magic and even tested his theories on a pony they bought. After an absence of twenty months, Tulloch returned to win the 1960 Queen’s Plate at Flemington. Percy declared this win his greatest thrill in Racing. There were other amazing success stories such as tending to Baystone after he broke his jaw in a barrier accident and then seeing him win the 1958 Melbourne Cup. Then there was Igloo who shattered sesamoids in both front legs in Perth in 1971 but twenty two months later, thanks to Percy he bounced back to win at Rosehill

Percy in his younger days in India in 1944

over two thousand metres carrying 61.5 kgs!In 2003 Percy Sykes received an Order of Australia in recognition for his achieve-ments and in 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Hall of Fame. There is no doubt that there was genius in Percy Sykes, the Veterinarian. As for Percy Sykes the Man, clearly he was a personable, gentle soul with wide ranging skills, a kind man of sartorial elegance and class. He was a great all round-er and a great contributor who was innovative and forward thinking, but he also had a great

sense of humour with a twinkle in his eye.Percy Sykes passed away quietly aged 93 on Monday evening 13th January 2014 – the loss to his family and friends and to veteri-nary science, immeasurable. We mourn his passing but marvel at his contribution to and achievements for the Thoroughbred Racing World.We salute you Percy Sykes.Your life story is a shining example of determination, contribution and leadership for us all. ▣

Early 1940 images of the preparation and dropping of the mules behind enemy lines


Proposed New Track Rating Structure

There is an ill-thought-out proposal: • To reduce the number of Australian going descriptions, • To change the names of the Australian goings and removing the conumerical com-ponent.It ought to be rejected for a number of rea-sons, the chief of which is that it moves the track descriptions from a time based rationale to a ground based rationale contrary to long standing Australian practice.

Number of CategoriesWhile the proposal will reduce the number of going categories from ten to six, in reality, these days only seven categories are fre-quently used – fast1 descriptions have gone the way of the extinct Tasmania Tiger (there hasn’t been one Fast track in Melbourne or Sydney for 12 years; twenty years ago 24% of tracks were Fast), Good2s and Heavy10s nomenclatures are also now ‘rare birds’. Be-cause course curators will be terrified of los-ing their jobs if they use the proposed words Firm or Good-to-Firm, in all likelihood, the proposed six will be only four.The ‘thought police’ are already at work – the UK Hard has been deleted from this proposal; our Dead, which, in the UK, is called Good-to-Firm or Good, is to be called

Yielding, a term not used officially in the UK and which can mean anything.Australia is not the only place where political correctness is alive and well. Course curators

in the UK also seem afflicted by the disease. In the last 3,769 UK meetings (since 2009), no course curator has ‘risked the sack’ by using the official description Hard!What racing’s consumers (owners, train-ers and punters) crave is precision in track classifications – the more going gradations, the better. They want more information concerning the state of going for a meeting, not less than they now have. France uses ten. In fact, in my form records, I use 90 divisions between Fast1 and Heavy9. Heavy10s add for me another 400! (In New Zealand, they can have some very heavy tracks - at least they use a ‘Heavy11’ there). We need more descriptions, not less.The only arguable point in the proposal’s favour is that it will result in the “removal of avenue of late scratching applications when track conditions change”, an argument that is easily rebutted by amending the rules. Racing rules must fit racing, not racing fit racing rules. The ‘baby should not be thrown out with the bath water’. Change the rule! Make the rule that before connections can scratch, there must be two or three or four category moves.

Changing the names and remove the numerical component The proposed going descriptions also show

that the famed ‘Australian Cultural Cringe’ is alive and well. They will Anglify good Australian and New Zealand descriptions with United Kingdom

substitutes.Dead4 or Dead5 is to become Yielding, a term that is not officially recognised in the UK (and, bizarrely, they would describe as ‘Good to Firm’ and Good!) Slow6 and Slow7 are to become Soft, Fast is to become Firm etc..Apparently, the proposers are unaware that the prestigious Timeform organisation, based in the UK, has adopted all our terms, except Slow, including Fast and Dead. Good on them.

The following matters are also worth mentioning:First:There is an argument that Australia ‘in-vented’ official going descriptions (but not going descriptions, that was done by the 1891 McCall’s Racing Chronicle. They were ‘on to it’, using no less than 50 going descriptions in that year! (Although, I think they were splitting hairs distinguishing ‘Capital Going, ‘Course Beautiful Order’, ‘Excellent Going’, ‘Splendid Going’, ‘First Class Order’ and ‘Grand’.) They didn’t appear in UK official results till 1971 – we’ve used them officially, at least in Sydney, since 1900 (and Australian newspapers gave their opinion since 1893). The UK should fall in line with us!It must be stressed the 80 year gap between the first published going reports in the UK

By Rob Waterhouse

“Australia is not the only place where political correctness is alive and well. Course curators in the UK also seem afflicated by the disease. In the last 3,769 UK Meetings, no course curator has ‘risked the sack’ by using the official description Hard!”

Proposed New Track Rating Structure cont.....

(which was for punters) and the official publication demonstrates they were and are primarily a tool for punters.

Secondly:To align the descriptions with those in the UK will not mean that they have the same effect as in the UK. Soils and grasses differ all over Australia and the world. The UK officials classify a track we call a Dead5 as

a good track. Using the same descriptions would actually deceive punters. The consis-tency argument fails.

Third:The proposal would leave New Zealand alone with our going descriptions,

Fourth: Most importantly, the current Australian

descriptions tie themselves to the notion of running times. The etymology of the words is one involving time. They are adjectives of time – fast time, good time, dead time, slow time, heavy being debatable. By contrast, the UK equivalent terms describe the actual ground. The proponents of the proposal may think that is better, but it is not. Descriptions should be tied to the objective ‘mast of time’ not a subjective view of a man.

Track managers must be accountable for their going descriptions. Owners, trainers and punters can only determine the accuracy of going descriptions by reference to the times run on that day. That is so, whether descrip-tions are ground or time based.The proposal suggests that there is a school of thought amongst officialdom that Going Descriptions should be independent of time and not accountable to time. Time must

remain the test. It is the only way that owners, trainers and punters can prove the going classification was right or wrong.I would like to thank the generous and valu-able efforts and help of Tim Cox, Graham Caves and Len Loveday. ▣

“Descriptions should be tied to the objective ‘mast of time’ not a subjective view of a man. Track managers must be accountable.....”


Inside Tulloch Lodge

The success of Gai and T.J. at Tulloch Lodge is steeped within Australian racing folk law. We witness the glory and the riches,

the triumphs and the tragedies, all splashed across news headlines and the front pages of the newspapers.

Very rarely do we hear about the goings on behind the scenes. Rarely do we hear about the 106 odd staff members who arrive at 3am to feed and exercise the horses, to ensure they have plenty of water and nurse their injuries.

In this edition we hope to introduce you to just a few of the people who are the back-bone and support of Gai’s success. We have interviewed her 9 senior foremen who are re-sponsible for maintaining and managing not only her staff but each of her five Randwick stables which combined house 170 horses. As many of you know, T.J. Smith trained the champion Tulloch (Khorassan x Florida). As a two-year-old Tulloch won the Sires’ races in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. In the Sydney Sires’ Tulloch beat perhaps the great-est two-year-old of all time, Todman.

As a three-year-old Tulloch returned to the track to set race records in many races before winning the 1957 AJC Derby with such class that he took two seconds off the race record held by Phar Lap. The champion then ventured to Melbourne where he completed perhaps the greatest Caulfield Cup win in history. After his three-year-old season, Tulloch con-tracted a life threatening virus, during which time T.J. enlisted the help of the late Percy Sykes to nurse him back to health. After almost two years off, Tulloch returned to the track and sealed his place in racing history. In honour of Tulloch’s achievements T.J. named his main stables Tulloch Lodge. Then in 1986, amoung other Group One wins, T.J. became the first person in history to breed, own and train a Golden Slipper winner in Bounding Away (Biscay x Who Can Say). Bounding Away was named Aus-tralian Horse of the year 1985/1986 and in her honour T.J. named his secondary stables after the great filly. Not long after, Gai trained the filly Tempest Morn, describing her as “one of the most

gutsy horses she trained, so determined and tremendously tenacious.” The small Gooree great was a Stakes winner and an Oaks win-ner. Gai’s other Doncaster Avenue stable is now known as Tempest Morn Lodge.Fast Forward to 2004, Gai followed in her father’s footsteps in true style with another Gooree champion Desert War (Desert King x High Heels). Desert War was a mighty animal, standing at 17hh he weighed over 600kg. He won six Group One races in his career and was admired and cared for by some of the foremen below. Many recall him fondly, thus Gai named her High Street stables in his honour. Finally we come to Gai’s newest stable. Housing just 16 horses, it is a little closer to home for the special people that make all of this history possible. When it came to naming this newest stable Mel Norton’s suggestion of Sugar Rush Lodge was inspired. And so the newest stable came to be named Sugar Rush Lodge epitomizing all the hard work and dedication these people put in, and what this means to Gai. ▣

By Madison Whant


Name: Ryan Pendergast.

Time at Gai’s stables: A year and a half.

Role: Horse Breaker.

Stable: It varies throughout the year. I am mainly based out of Tem-pest Morn Lodge and the Young Street stables when they are open. We will be opening stables on Ascot Street soon to accommodate the new yearlings coming into the stable.

Duties: My main duties are working with the young horses. I break them in and start them out on the track. I also introduce them to the barriers. My other duties including riding track work in the morning and helping with the occasional problem horse. I also have general duties around the stables including grooming and walking.

Your experience with Gai: My experience working with Gai has been really enjoyable. I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some wonderful people as well as riding some of the best bred horses in the country.I was able to work closely with Monty Roberts during his visit to Gai’s stable last year, and was then given the opportunity to go to America and spend more time with Monty and Wesley Ward.

Most memorable moment at the stables: One of the most un-forgettable experiences with the stable would be being at the 2013 Melbourne Cup and witnessing Fiorente win Gai’s first Cup. It was surreal to experience the deafening roar of the 100,000 strong crowd there that day. I was also allowed to have a look in the main stewards’ room at Flemington. ▣

Inside Tulloch Lodge cont.....

Name: Ranjeet Singh

Time at Gai’s stables: I have been here nine years.

Role: Foreman and track rider.

Stable: Every stable.

Duties: My main duties involve stable management, managing staff, ensuring all horses get exercised, and communicating effectively with Gai and other foremen.

Your experience with Gai: Working with Gai was my first job in Aus-tralia. It has been an amazing experience with some great opportunities thanks to her. Gai is a terrific boss who is always getting the best out of people and the horses she works with. From the day I arrived I have been learning and still continue to. I started out as a stable hand and track rider before progressing to a foreman about six years ago.

Most memorable moment at the stables: Definitely watching Pier-ro win the Triple Crown as I was very close with him. He was a special horse for me. I also have fond memories of Desert War winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes here at Randwick. ▣

Ryan Pendergast

Ryan working with a Northern Meteor x Lady Cat filly

Ranjeet Singh with Aussies Love Sport

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Name: Stephen O’Halloran.

Time at Gai’s stables: Ten years.

Role: Foreman & senior track rider.

Stable: Tempest Morn Lodge.

Duties: Daily running of the stable and riding out.

Your experience with Gai: Gai is one of the most positive people I have worked for, even when things aren’t going to plan she always has a smile on her face. I think she brings out the best in people with her positive attitude and it shows around the stables.

Most memorable moment at the stables: Well to have been here for ten years there is a number of things I could mention, but two that stick out would have to be Dance Hero winning the Triple Crown as a two-year-old & then eight years later watching Pierro do the same. To have been involved with these two Champions has been unbelievable. ▣

Name: Edward O’Rourke.

Role: Senior foreman and track rider.

Stable: Bounding Away.

Duties: Managing Bounding Away stables which includes staff , and providing optimal care for all horses. Representing Gai Waterhouse Racing throughout NSW at race meetings. Riding track work.

Your experience with Gai: My experience with Gai has been great and a huge learning curve.

Most memorable moment at the stable: Pierro winning the Golden Slipper. ▣

Name: Ian Slater

Time at Gai’s stables: Three years. I have been working in stables for 30 years.

Role: I started off as a strapper and worked my way up to foreman of Gai’s main yard.

Stable: Tulloch Lodge

Duties: I am in charge of 69 horses and 25 people. My duties include coordinating everyone and ensuring all horses are exercised and kept properly.

Your experience with Gai: Gai is a genius, she is always on the ball and she has a very good eye for a horse. She is very good with her staff, and she knows everyone by name.

Most memorable moment at the stables: Seeing Fiorente win the Melbourne Cup and being part of that was very special. Hopefully we will win it again this year. ▣

Ian Slater with Equator

Ed with Jullienas

Steve with Sweet Idea

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Name: Mel Norton.

Time at Gai’s stables: I’ve been with Gai for eleven years now.

Role: Foreman.

Stable: Desert War.

Duties: I manage Desert War (managing 25 horses) and also manage the tie up stalls every morning. I am responsible for getting all 140 horses out to the middle to be exercised. One of my most important horse management tasks for Gai is concentrating on those horses that need special attention. Gai sends all horses that are losing condi-tion and underperforming to Desert War. I keep a close eye on them providing an environment in which they can relax. I change their surroundings, put them in the day yard and change their feeds to get them eating.

Your experience with Gai: I am very fortunate to work so closely with Gai. She values my opinion and that means a lot to me.

Most memorable moment at the stables: Overreach winning the Golden Slipper last year was a big thrill for me and the team at Desert War. ▣

Name: John Livingstone.

Time at Gai’s stables: I was first introduced to the stable in 1999. I became a part-time employee in 2000 whilst completing my HSC. I have worked full-time ever since including taking a year off during the 2006/07 season to work overseas to gain international experience with North American trainers Todd Pletcher and Michael Dickinson. I also had a short stint with Kevin Prendergast in county Kildare Ireland.

Role: My role has grown a lot over the years to now being Director of Operations.

Stable: I have worked in every one of Gai’s stables and now manage Tulloch Lodge.

Duties: My duties include but are not limited to the following: man-aging all staff, managing horses both in and out of work of which we have around 400 in total, controlling rosters, assisting Gai in all facets of the training, riding track work, saddling race day, dealing with sup-pliers, ordering the weekly feed for the 130 plus horses in full work and following up with maintenance requirements.

Your experience with Gai: Gai and I go back about fifteen years since I first met her at Randwick track work. I say that as if I’m ancient but I’ve only just turned 30 so I think with her help over time I definitely have experience beyond my years. I’ve been with Gai for close to 100 of her 119 career Group One winners so I think it’s fair to say I’ve seen the best stock to come through the place. We have a good working relationship with great respect for each other and even though it’s really non-stop day in day out I’ve been prepared for that from a young age as a lot of Gai’s long serving foremen have been.

Most memorable moment at the stables: I’m not sure I could nail it down to one but any time after a major win is always very satisfying. ▣

Director of Operations John Livingstone

John swimming Kippling

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Senior foreman Mel Norton


Name: Melina Gissing

Time at Gai’s Stables: Two and a half years.

Role: Foreman/ rider and Veterinary Assistant.

Stable: Tulloch Lodge.

Duties: Track work, organizing race day gear, stalls, veterinary assis-tant, and general foreman duties.

Your experience with Gai: I have been with Gai for a couple of years now and enjoy the job very much. I have worked for a couple of other trainers including Bart Cummings and Luca Cumani in England and have learnt many things from each of them. Gai has given me a lot of opportunities to learn and grow and I am very grateful for that. Her attention to detail is spot on and her ability to continue to train at such a high level is very admirable. Also the fact that she is a woman in a predominantly male dominated sport and at the top of the trainer’s premiership is very inspirational to me and I’m sure many of the women in racing. I’m very glad to be part of the GWR racing team and am grateful to be able to enjoy the company of such a diverse and talented group of teammates.

Most memorable moment at the stables: Winning the Triple Crown with Pierro in 2012 and the 2013 Melbourne cup win with Fiorente. ▣

Name: Des Fisher.

Time at Gai’s stables: Two years.

Role: Senior foreman and transport manager.

Stable: Tulloch Lodge.

Duties: I currently look after the work flow of horses to and from the track. My duties are varied as we have 68 horses at Tulloch Lodge. I have to ensure that the best care is given to all horses. Another key role is to have the correct person completing the right task. I also work with the horses doing barrier practice. Gai has a robust system for all horses. All two-year-olds have had extensive barrier work prior to jumping out and trialling. My role is to educate the horses to enter and stand in the barriers for a period of time that they may be required to do on race day. I get a lot of satisfaction when I see horses excel in this area. I also manage the flow of horses from the stables to the spelling farms and vice versa. I work with John Livingstone to coordinate the flow of the horses to pre-training or to full work.

Your experience with Gai: Wow, where do I start! Words like “en-ergy, attention to detail and focus” are the things I experience most. Whilst I don’t always agree with Gai, how can you second guess her? Her track record is second to none. I feel proud to be able to say that I work for Gai Waterhouse.

Most memorable moment at the stables: Without a doubt the 2013 Melbourne Cup. I strapped Fiorente and this was a moment to cherish. Whilst we have had a number of Group One winners since I started at the stable this is the most memorable. Just to watch where Gai’s cup has been since winning has been fantastic. I have never been associat-ed with a more professional horse. ▣

Mel with Mr Jackman

Des with his favourite horse Fiorente

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A Bright Future for John Sheridan

A year ago today, January 29, John Sheridan’s plane touched down on Australian turf. Inbound from America, John found himself at

Gai’s Tulloch Lodge office just a few days later. Ironically he was meeting a friend working for Gai, who had in fact set him up for an interview with another trainer. Upon arriving however, John was to find out that just that morning some staff had left and con-sequently he walked straight into Gai’s office, never to look back.John, who has been riding racehorses for as long as he can remember, was riding his first gallops in Ireland at just fourteen-years-old. Rather modest when it comes to his skills, John says it is a little easier to learn back home as they don’t train on race tracks. From country Wexford, tucked away in the farthest South East corner of Ireland, John’s life with horses and racing began. He grew up on a small family owned Jump Racing stud called Bishop’s Yard. His mam (mother), Evelyn, is an owner and breeder of National Hunt horses. Having had quite a few talented horses go through the stud, John’s family enjoyed a lot of success in the jump racing industry. He spent his weekends as a child being carted from one racetrack to the next to see them competing, and later his holidays between school and university working in a number of racing yards. It was around this time that he acquired his jockey’s licence. By the time John turned twenty-three he had graduated from the University of Limerick where he studied Construction Managing and Civil Engineering, but was ready to pursue his love of horses. He moved to the United States for what he thought was to be a year working with horses, only to be promoted rather quickly to Assistant Trainer for Irish Trainer Eddie Kenneally. Eddie entrusted a small barn to his care and allowed him to

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take the horses to Keeneland and Gulfstream. John describes his time with Eddie as im-measurable. He recalls fondly, “Eddie has an attention to detail which is second to none,” which allowed him to enjoy some great success, including winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen’ in 2007 on World Cup night with Kelly’s Landing. The attribute John admired most in Eddie however, was his hard work. He built his business from the ground up, and John feels he shares this trait with his old mentor. It was with sadness that John parted ways with Eddie due to his visa expiration.Had John’s visa not run out though, we might not be sharing in his story today. A hard working attitude is probably what allowed John to get to where he is today, an assistant to Gai, who is a big believer in youth and hard work herself. Arguably one of Gai’s

most famous attributes is her appetite for providing opportunities for young people who show tenacity and dedication. John describes Gai as open minded, a pioneer of thinking outside the box and strives himself, to stay a step ahead in every aspect of his job. “I aim to learn as much as I can as fast as I can from the people around me. One of the best aspects of working for Gai is definitely the outstanding people she has surrounded herself with.” He says, “Gai is an incredible person and getting the chance to stand with her in the training tower and just listen is invaluable. The way she trains is unique.”At around 8:30am John heads back to the office where he assists John Livingstone and Des Fisher in coordinating everything from horse movements, rosters, veterinary require-ments, staff issues and races to the multitude

“If you are lucky enough to work in an industry you love you have to strive to reach to the top of it.....”

By Madison Whant

John riding Swing Sensation in the bullring

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John Sheridan


Northern Meteor gelding Romantic Touch. “He’s a bit of an oddball but that’s why I like him.” John recalls the excitement of travelling with Romantic Touch to Brisbane where he won the Group One J.J Atkins. He has watched with pride, the yearlings that come through the stable and progress in their education, finally making it to the races and he still enjoys saddling at the races, after all, he believes “race day is what we all work towards.” When asked what his plans for the future hold John replied simply, “I want to train horses. There is nothing that gives me as much pleasure. The excitement of race day is unrivalled. I know it is hard work and the early hours don’t help, but experiencing first-hand days like the 2013 Melbourne Cup and in the same year the Golden Slipper make it all worthwhile. To see how much these wins mean to everyone involved blew me away. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?” At just twenty-four John is definitely living beyond his years. He has been lucky enough to play a small part in the preparations of Gai’s first ever Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, Her Majesty the Queen’s own horse Carlton House, and the recently retired to stud Pierro. He has assisted not one, but two successful racehorse trainers across different countries. He has completed a University degree and returned home to Ireland to com-plete a Masters, returning to Australia only at the request of Gai, after realizing the op-portunity she was offering was simply a ‘no brainer’. Not one to dwell on the ‘what-ifs’ and ‘maybes’ John is always looking forward, trying to take the next step and challenge himself. John left me with one resounding thought which keeps him going through the early mornings and the long hours, “I know ev-eryone has different motivations but the way I look at it if you are lucky enough to work in an industry you love you have to strive to reach to the top of it.” It is without a doubt that John is worth his weight in gold. ▣

of extra duties that crop up in the day to day running of a bustling racing yard. John describes this as one very noticeable aspect about Gai’s business – things are always changing. Everyone works as a team with the aim of getting the job done to the highest standard, and everyone must be prepared for any last minute changes. John’s job requires him to not only have an understanding and knowledge of the horse, but also of the business.

His most important task of the day comes next. Each day he must prepare the work list for the following day for the 100

plus horses in full work in Gai’s stables at Randwick. Gai fine tunes this list and this refined list is what Mel Norton works with each morning in getting horses out to the middle for their tasks - gallops/canter/pool/high performance/galloping machine/ice spa/beach/figure eights/barrier work/jump outs. Seeing the changes that Gai makes is very beneficial for John, who grasps the oppor-tunity to learn from Gai’s endless font of knowledge. “It gives me a good insight into Gai’s line of thinking and how she likes to manage her horses.”Having the opportunity to ride and work with the horses - young and matured - as well as assist in their training certainly gives John an edge with his duties for Gai. He describes having the knowledge of riding horses. “It gives me a very in-depth understanding of them. It is a bit of a tradeoff however – I can ride up to 7 or 8 in a

morning and will have a good knowledge of these horses, but then miss the small things in the horses I don’t get to ride.” John never fails to seize an opportunity – he was very enthusiastic about working with Gai’s breaker Ryan Pendergast last year. “He is a natural horseman,” he says of Ryan, “Some of the things he can get a horse to do leaves you standing there with your mouth hanging open. Last year I remember watching him getting on the babies for the first time. After watching a few and being utterly amazed with his methods I just had to have a try.” Not long after, John was riding the babies with Ryan for the first time. He was instrumental in the education of last year’s yearlings from the barriers to the track and the yearlings’ day to day experiences in and around the stables. John has his favourites, as all horse lovers do. In particular he enjoys riding the Gooree

John in his mother’s colours at the races in Ireland

John’s family property, Bishops Yard


Looking Through a Magnifying GlassRob Waterhouse and the jigsaw puzzle that is international form

By Zeb Armstrong

Rob Waterhouse spends countless hours per week looking through form. Generally the results of this study is for all to see at the

races on the board which Rob stands next to encouraging punters big and small to compare their form analysis with his through a bet. However the master bookmaker also has quite the eye for trawling though international form and finding horses from abroad that he believes will improve under the guidance of Gai and the team at Tulloch Lodge. It has been printed and printed again throughout October and November 2013 how Rob played a big part in getting Fiorente to Australia. But before the 2013 Melbourne Cup winner lobbed on Australian shores, Rob and Gai have enjoyed great success in bringing tried horses from New Zealand to Tulloch Lodge. Below are four examples of the mastery of Rob’s New Zealand form anal-ysis that has produced handsome dividends for their owners.

Tullamore (Savabeel x Trocair) In his first two starts in New Zealand ran 8th then 7th - both races were over 1400m. He was then beaten as the even money favourite before running second at Trentham as the $2.80 favourite. Then in a Listed race the gelding was soundly beaten before at his next start, he finally broke through when the twos on favourite ($1.50). Six starts it took before Tullamore won a race and then only by less than half a length. Tullamore then had two more starts in New Zealand for a 6th and a nice 3rd before he was snapped up by Rob and sent to Australia. Rob clearly saw some-thing in his form that others did not. Perhaps it was the fact that Tullamore started so short so often, or maybe Rob watched all the runs and determined that Tullamore was a victim of circumstances or had obvious improve-ment in him. Only Rob knows for sure what it was, but the horse arrived at Tulloch

Lodge happy and healthy albeit without much boom about him. From here the gelding won after just four starts in Australia. Then he finished second twice in a row in city class races prior to winning two nice races, one at Scone and one at Hawkesbury. Both these races were at around the 2200m mark and this is where Tullamore clearly showed his best. By the end of his first Australian preparation, Tullamore had won the Group Two Brisbane Cup. Who would have thought? In his sec-ond Australia preparation, Tullamore placed in a Caulfield Cup and was narrowly beaten by Americain in the Moonee Valley Cup. Enough said.

Descarado (High Chaparral x Karamea Lady) Descarado was slightly different to Tulla-more in that he performed very consistently during his time in New Zealand. Rob saw this consistency and scope for improvement and secured the stayer for Tulloch Lodge very early in his career. Descarado won on debut

as the even money favourite in New Zealand before making it two in a row at his second start, again as the even money favourite. The gelding then ran second at his next two starts before being soundly beaten in the 2000 Guineas beaten by the Sir Patrick Hogan owned filly, Katie Lee. It was after this run that Descarado came to Australia and Tulloch Lodge. In his first four starts here, Descara-do placed in two Group Two races then he was slightly unlucky in the then AJC Derby beaten by Shoot Out. In his second Australian preparation Descarado won a Group Two race, then he went on to record his famous victory in the 2010 Caulfield Cup. The expert eye of Rob had struck again. Whatever Rob saw in this gelding in New Zealand came to the fore in Australia. Descarado rounded out his career with a fighting second in the Group One Ranvet at Rosehill before winning a second Group One, the Caulfield Stakes. Descarado will forever hold a special place in Gai’s heart as he was her first Caulfield Cup Winner.

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Under The Sun (No Excuse Needed x Sleaking) Under The Sun has not yet won a Group race, but he is not without his chance in the coming months. He has however been one of the most consistent horses Gai has ever trained. Rob saw him run nicely on debut in New Zealand as a long shot, then the gelding won very impressively at Te Rapa. It was at this point in his career that Under The Sun arrived in Australia and after a solid fifth on debut at Moonee Valley, the gelding then ran either first or second in his next seven starts. Three wins and four seconds on end was clear jus-tification of Rob’s confidence in this former Kiwi. Under the Sun has since won two more

races including the Listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill. He is back in work as we speak and looks set for plenty of future success.

Travolta (Handsome Ransom x Belongs in Lights)Travolta is flying right now in what is his first real preparation where he has made it consistently to races at distances in which he thrives. If Travolta’s nose was just an inch longer he would have won four Summer Cup races in a row. As it stands he has won two and been beaten in two by a combined three inches. He is in terrific form and is the stayer to beat in NSW. Travolta like all his fellow Kiwi imports that attracted the attention of Rob started his career in a humble,

lowly race with no fanfare whatsoever. Tra-volta ran second last at his debut and it was another four races after this before he broke his maiden. After his debut win, Travolta won just one more race in his native homeland before running nicely without success in the Avondale Guineas and the New Zealand Der-by. This was enough to satisfy Rob and Tra-volta was dancing his way over to Australia. The gelding won on debut in Australia over 1300m and he has shown constant improve-ment since then to become a dominant stayer in NSW.

Rob certainly has a successful knack of generating a profile on a horse and anticipating how that particular horse will improve

under the TLC of Gai and the atmosphere that Tulloch Lodge provides. We sometimes forget that before all the attention went to the European stayers and even the Japanese stayers, New Zealand produced the best staying types in the world. Tulloch, Phar Lap, Carbine, Redcraze, Even Stevens, Rising Fast, Kiwi and many many more started their lives on New Zealand soil. Decades later there are still plenty of grand middle distance and staying prospects hidden throughout the isles. Luckily Rob knows where to find them! ▣

Under the Sun

Travolta

Descarado

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Q. Can you tell us a little bit about Beltana Stud? Beltana Stud is a small part of my farming operation. I have four or five mares at any one time and I mate them with stallions from both New Zealand and Australia in the hope of producing a competitive racehorse. The stud is named after the town of Beltana in South Aus-tralia. This small town some 500km north of Adelaide is located not far from the banks of Lake Torrens. My ancestors immigrated to this town from Scotland around 200 years ago before we finally made our way to New Zealand. The farm is a 2,000 hectare property and I have 8,000 sheep and 1,000 cattle.

Q. How have you remained a player at the Karaka Sales for so long with such a small operation?Through dogged determination and the constant putting forward of very high class racehorses that are well presented and wonderfully bred.

Q. What is it about that sale that keeps you coming back year af-ter year when many fellow South Island breeders have dropped off?I want to breed an Australian Derby winner, an Australian Oaks winner and of course a Melbourne Cup winner. The Karaka Sales, I feel, is still a great springboard towards these goals.

Richard Rutherford - A Farmer’s Success

Boutique breeder and New Zealand South Island native Richard Rutherford recently took time out of a particularly busy day at the Karaka Sales to speak with Zeb Armstrong about his wonderful breeding operation Beltana Stud. Richard maintains that he is a farmer first and foremost, but he still manages to find the time to breed nice yearlings season after season that are highly sought-after at the annual Karaka Sales. Richard and Beltana Stud have been represented at the sales every year since they moved to Karaka. Before that Richard made many a trip to Trentham to both buy and sell. After so much success and plenty of years in the industry, thoroughbreds still hold a special place in Richard’s heart. Here is his story.

By Zeb Armstrong

Richard Rutherford


Q. How did you go at the sales this year?Sold all three at just under a $150,000 average.

Premier DraftLot 170 - Brown colt - High Chaparral x O’Reilly Rose. Sold for $200,000Lot 335 – Black colt – Paco Boy x Volkrose. Sold for $110,000Select DraftLot 1018 – Brown colt – Shocking x Crystalthecowgirl. Sold for $97,500.

Q. What are some of the best horses to take their first steps at Beltana?The three that come to mind instantly are the 1984 Caulfield Cup win-ner Affinity, Queensland Derby 3rd placegetter Heidilicious and the brilliant 2013 Newmarket Handicap winner Shamexpress. I went to Royal Ascot to watch Shamexpress run and although things didn’t go his way, it was still very special to have bred a horse good enough to be there. Now he is back and looks to have another great preparation ahead of him.

Q. How did you get into the breeding game?I went to the Trentham sales for the first time as an 18-year-old and I purchased a horse that led to me breeding a colt named Bahrain by Mellay. This colt won plenty of good races and was runner-up in the 1978 New Zealand Derby. Bahrain in this race could not get past the champion three-year-old Uncle Remus. It was still an honour to run second to such a grand three-year-old like Uncle Remus was.

Q. How did you meet Gai Waterhouse?I first met Gai at Trentham. She was there with her father and I was far too shy to ask her out!

Q. Gai clearly rates your establishment highly. How would you describe your relationship with the Lady Trainer?I have a lovely friendship with Gai and it is all smiles when we catch up. I admire greatly her ability to be so very successful in such a com-petitive industry. Gai gives no quarter in the sales ring and she leaves no stone unturned in trying to find the best yearlings. But she is very fair, very loyal and very dedicated in her pursuit of excellence.

Q. Do you still get time to watch the All Blacks, or play golf or attend the races, or is life on the farm and within the breeding industry all too consuming?The farm does take up a great deal of time but I love it. I do enjoy my rugby and I do watch a lot of racing. I also love fishing and camping and my wife and I are off to Europe next month on a skiing adventure. It will be great.

“I want to breed an Australian Derby winner, Australian Oaks winner and of course a Melbourne Cup winner.....”

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With 50 yearlings in the draft for the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, the offerings are indeed diverse.

They include colts and fillies by Eliza Park International banner stallion and Black Cav-iar sire, Bel Esprit, Newmarket winner and boom stallion, Wanted, Australia’s leading sire by strike rate, Magnus, plus yearlings by major speed source, Statue of Liberty.In total, 35 of the nation’s most proven and promising stallions are represented and, underlining the stud’s perception in the marketplace, over 40 breeders have entrusted their yearlings to the draft … one thing is for sure - it’s guaranteed to be a busy time from the morning of Wednesday 26 February when inspections commence.(Eliza Park International will also throw open the doors to its marquee - outside Barn G at the Oaklands Junction complex - from the 26th until the final day of the sale [5 March] and welcomes all Gai’s Gazette readers to join them for refreshments - and maybe a first look at your next winner!).But while Eliza Park International’s sales di-vision plays an integral role in the operation’s structure, it is just one of the many facets of this now, truly global organisation.Purchased by Hong Kong conglomerate, Sun International, in June 2013, Eliza Park International’s immediate mission has been to focus on ‘International’ in much more than name only.While the operation encompasses five farms in Victoria, a division in Queensland current-ly stands 13 quality stallions and provides professional services for all aspects of the industry. Eliza Park International is focussing on the global community and rapidly estab-lishing its bona fides as both seller and buyer.Indeed, Eliza Park International’s activity in the marketplace over the last few months has been monumental.In October, Eliza Park International secured the highly promising mare, Voleuse de Coeurs, shortly after she had won the presti-gious Irish St Leger by six lengths. The

Eliza Park International - A Mega ForceThe Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale will be held in the first week of March and one of Australia’s leading thoroughbred operations, Eliza Park International, will again be presenting a quality draft

mare was then brought to Australia for a tilt at the Melbourne Cup and while we all know Australia’s biggest race was taken out by another import in the shape of Gai’s Fiorente, Voleuse de Coeurs showed plenty of promise and is now being aimed at the 2014 Cup.Then, in December, Eliza Park International purchased a number of breeding stock - to the tune of $3.5 million - at sales in England and France, including horses such as the highly accomplished Danehill-line mare, Moment in Time (Group One placed at her last start) and the outstandingly bred, Sanjida.In foal to leading European sire, Oasis Dream, Sanjida’s first foal - a Galileo filly - was sold for 1.7million euros to Paul Fudge’s Waratah Thoroughbreds.A number of those purchases will remain in the northern hemisphere and return to leading sires, enhancing Eliza Park International’s role in Europe.Meanwhile, in Australia, Eliza Park Interna-tional played a prominent role at the Gold Coast Magic Millions, purchasing eight well bred colts by sires such as Wanted, Bel Esprit, Exceed And Excel, Encosta de Lago, Lonhro, More Than Ready and Street Cry.It makes a lot of sense in an era where well performed colts are syndicated to stud for

many millions of dollars to ‘make’ your own.In that regard, Eliza Park International principal, Mr Ting Kong Cheng, has already ‘put his cards on the table’ with his Northern Meteor colt, Fighting Sun - purchased on his behalf by Gai at last year’s Magic Millions - and now one of the most promising two-year-olds in the Waterhouse stable.Winning very impressively on debut at Rosehill in January, Fighting Sun is currently being targeted at the Golden Slipper on 5 April.“It’s important that Eliza Park International’s ‘vision’ becomes a matter of record,” Eliza Park International CEO, Alvin Lui, points out. “We have a reputation in Australia for providing quality bloodstock and services, but it’s much more than that. A community thrives through integration and we will be ensuring that those who patronise our busi-ness - whether as buyers or sellers - will be long-term beneficiaries.And those benefits will not be unique to Australia. Through our parent group (Sun International) we have many international friends and clients that wish to access the world’s best bloodlines and participate in this wonderful industry of ours.“We definitely have a lot to look forward to!”

Son of Fastnet Rock, the exciting first season sire Wanted stands at Eliza Park


“A Glimpse Inside the Mind of ‘the Lady Trainer’”

Darley Flying Start is an inter-national management training programme for the thoroughbred industry. The full-time two-year

scholarship educates trainees in Ireland, UK, USA, Australia and Dubai.The current second-year trainees are blog-ging on their experiences of different aspects of the thoroughbred industry as they progress through the programme.For more information visit www.darleyflyingstart.com.“ON THE morning of the second Tuesday in November, I found myself behind the wheel of a large BMW, heading north out of Sydney. The rain was torrential, and visibility minimal at best. To my left sat the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer. Behind me sat one of the Melbourne Cup-winning owners. In the boot lay the Melbourne Cup.I always aim to avoid being involved in a car accident, but it is fair to say that on this day I was exceptionally focussed on that objective. It might have been more prudent to decline the request to act as chauffeur but, although this was only the second day of my Darley Flying Start work placement with Gai Wa-terhouse Racing, I had already observed that resistance to the wish of the woman known as ‘the lady trainer’ is generally futile.Thankfully we arrived safely at Evergreen Stud in Heatherbrae, first stop on the New South Wales leg of Gai’s annual yearling inspections prior to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January, and so began an exciting, exhausting and hugely education-al three weeks within my Darley Flying Start experience.Before our work placements began, all the Darley Flying Start trainees were lucky enough to witness Gai’s triumph with Fiorente in the 2013 Melbourne Cup as part of a full week in the city. Along with visits to Eliza Park Stud, Racing Victoria and the sta-bles of Peter Moody, Mick Price and David Hayes, we had three fantastic days racing

By Tessa Hetherington 13 Jan 2014

at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup Carnival.The opening day, VRC Derby Day, ranks alongside the Tuesdays of Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival as the best day’s racing I have ever experienced.The immaculate, well-organised facilities and the friendly, helpful attitude of every member of staff were a huge credit to the Victoria Rac-ing Club, while the enthusiasm and engage-ment of the crowd testified to the admirably high profile of the sport in Australia.Every race on the Derby Day card is a Group race, with the pinnacle being four Group One races in succession in the middle of the afternoon. Less a pinnacle, more a table-top mountain, I suppose. Of these, my highlight was the victory of British raider Side Glance in the MacKinnon Stakes.A personal favourite from a summer spent at trainer Andrew Balding’s yard, his genuine-ness and consistency have turned him into a stalwart European representative on the global stage, and it was hugely gratifying to see his efforts finally rewarded with a top

prize. If horses like Frankel and Toronado set the pulse racing, it is horses like Side Glance and Red Cadeaux that make the heart burst with pride.I did not get to meet Fiorente during my time with Gai as he was enjoying a well-earned rest in a field in Hawkesbury, in accordance with the common Australian practice of ‘spelling’ racehorses - interspersing periods of training with regular periods of paddock rest throughout the year.I did, however, become very familiar with the trophy he won for Gai - the trainer’s version of the Melbourne Cup. This came with us on our tour of studs in New South Wales and Queensland, to be shared with the stud staff who showed us their horses, with members of the public in cafes and restaurants, and with the wider world through a game of ‘track the trophy’, which fast became something of a twitter phenomenon.The reaction of Australians to the Cup, and to Gai (who has something akin to celebrity status in the nation) was both fascinating and heart-warming for a non-native racing fan.

Gai and Tessa inspecting yearlings at Newhaven Park


Everywhere we went Gai was rec-ognised, and upon the production of the Cup from the boot of the car people would emerge from side

streets, shops and offices, drawn by its almost talismanic properties.Not once, even at the end of long days, did the lady trainer refuse a request for a photo-graph and a chat. Her unstinting enthusiasm for the game is infectious, and she does rac-ing a huge service in sharing it so willingly and effectively.In between her stints as PR representative for Australian racing, Gai looked at around 800 yearlings across New South Wales and Queensland, in addition to hundreds more already viewed in Victoria.She chooses to view the horses at the studs in advance to save time at the sale, but more crucially to see them when they are still relatively ‘raw’. This gives some idea of their true foundations, and enables her to follow the trajectory of their progress in the six weeks between her inspections and the sale - a good indication of whether they have the precocity that is so important for Australia’s prestigious two-year-old racing calendar.Gai has been the biggest buyer at the Gold Coast sale in recent years and also one of the most successful, and stud farms generally welcomed us with open arms and terrific hos-pitality. Those that baulked at showing their yearlings so early in their prep quickly learnt the lesson I had already grasped - the lady trainer rarely takes no for an answer.This was my first time viewing sales horses

with a trainer rather than an agent, and a very instructive experience. At this stage Gai does not look at the pedigrees of the yearlings, and does not even want to know their sire until after her first impressions have been formed.She is more forgiving of conformational defects than imperfections of character, re-garding the former as generally easier to man-age. She misses nothing. “Why’s he got that swelling on the inside of his off hind?” she might ask within a millisecond of the horse appearing at the far end of a large parade area, at a stage where all I have managed to note about the specimen is that he is average-ly sized, and chestnut. She is unfailingly polite to the handlers, re-freshingly frank with the stud managers, and an entertaining guest. “Did you buy this for the kids?” she quips as a smaller, pony-like colt heads our way.Eager to hear my views and to share her own, by the end of the tour I had a much better idea of the typical progeny of a raft of Australian sires, and of the sort of horse that best suits the Australian racing scene, even if my in-built preference for the leggy, fluid European types remains hard to shift.Of course, those leggy, fluid types have become increasingly attractive to the Aus-tralian market, with many proven horses being brought out of Europe to target the rich middle-distance and staying purses in the antipodean calendar.This meant that the time I spent working on the yard at Gai’s headquarters at Rand-wick was full of familiar faces, with Carlton

House, Michelangelo and Rule Book among those I handled.Despite being trained at the track, Gai’s hors-es have a refreshingly varied schedule which, in addition to regular ‘spells’ in the paddock, can encompass swimming, spa sessions, pop-ping over hurdles and trips to the beach.I accompanied a colt on his afternoon trip to the seaside and felt totally reinvigorated as a result. His gleeful splashing suggested he felt much the same, and the use of the beach is a key tool in Gai’s broad armoury. Her no-nonsense approach with people ex-tends to her horses, with the result that most are, like her, tough cookies and not easily fazed: At one of her weekly owners’ morn-ings I watched in awe as horse after horse stood quietly in the yard, entirely surrounded at extremely close quarters by a crowd bran-dishing umbrellas and cameras.Gai’s European contingent was due to swell further after my departure with the addition of three horses from the same sire-line as Fiorente. The Monsun colt, Excess Knowl-edge, was purchased privately from Judd-monte through James Harron Bloodstock, while two ex-Highclere sons of Manduro, Greatwood and Dante winner Bonfire, were bought at Tattersalls’ Autumn HIT sale.The last-named is also familiar to me from my time with Andrew Balding and, as an old friend, I offer him the following advice for his time with the lady trainer: Eat up, sleep well, keep your wits about you and be ready for anything. You’ll work hard, you’ll learn a lot and you’ll have the most enormous fun.”

A Glimpse into the ‘mind of the Lady Trainer’ cont.....

Tessa and her charge enjoy a walk in the water


Sir Patrick Hogan and the Zabeel dynasty

Q.As a young lad, do you remember following the deeds of Rising Fast when the champ came to Australia? How about Tulloch or Redcraze? Was there a sense of pride in New Zealand during Aus-tralia’s golden age of racing, that Kiwi exports were dominating our races?1949 - Rising Fast by Alonzo. Oh yes I was about eleven years old at the time and I was getting interested in horses through my local Pony Club. Around this time my father was racing a horse or two with the local priest in Cambridge. This also sparked my interest in the sport.Back then I thought Rising Fast was more important than the Prime Minister. He clearly received more publicity back here in New Zea-land.1950 - Redcraze by Red Mars - another champion of his day.1954 - Tulloch by Khorazaan – This was at a time when Fencourt Stud was established and standing our first stallion Blueskin and more importantly I had left school. No more of those terrible exams. I did like maths and was very good at it but that was my lot.Tulloch created a great lot of interest for me. What a racehorse. And I must say that Gai’s father Tommy had that amazing attribute to bring the best out in horses of all sizes, types, and temperaments.As a young teenager for me just starting out in the horse game, Tom-my Smith was well on my radar and I closely followed his successes. It’s just marvellous that like ZABEEL who followed Sir Tristram and has been able to emulate him, Gai has done exactly that and followed her dad in emulating his feats. An amazing achievement to be im-mensely proud of. In those days breeding and racing was extremely strong in New Zealand. As I remember we were breeding a type of horse that thrived in the classic middle distance staying races. Unlike New Zealand, Australia at the time was very dominant on breeding the speed horse rather than the stayers. Certainly today this is no longer the case with Australia and New Zealand competing equally together at all distanc-es. A very good horse today can come out of both New Zealand and Australia. The New Zealand bred Redcraze, Rising Fast and Tulloch who were all racing during that era was without a doubt a golden age for our horses and resulted in creating a sense of great pride back here in New Zealand. We were able to compete and win with our horses against the very best in the Southern Hemisphere. That obviously was enormous for such a very small country taking into account that our broodmare and race horse numbers were very much less than Australia’s in those times and today that is still the case with New Zealand breeding continuing to produce great race horses.

Q.When did you decide that your life belonged to the racing / breeding industry? According to the public record, Cambridge Stud started in 1976. What was your involvement in the industry pre – Cambridge?I was brought up in Cambridge and have spent all my life on a farm. I grew up helping my parents with the dairy cows and pigs, harvesting hay and silage making with… in those early days the assistance of the Clydesdale horses (no tractors in those days). Having left school at fifteen my father became interested in thoroughbreds and imported a stallion called BLUESKIN II and soon after set up a stud named Fen-court Stud - (this is where I got my initiation into horses). Slowly the cows and pigs went out the back gate never to return and more horses came through the front gate. I have always, even as a young person wanted to be with animals. They are my vocation in life. So yes in 1976 we set up our own stud with my wife Justine and our two daughters Nicola and Erin - Cambridge Stud was established.

Q.Upon starting Cambridge Stud, what was it about Sir Tristram (Cambridge Stud’s first ‘super-sire’) that convinced you that he would make it as a sire? After all he won just the two races. Upon purchasing him, could you have possibly believed he would end up an immortal sire responsible for 45 individual Group One winners and three Melbourne Cup winners?Sir Tristram - I had learnt a lot from my father when we had pedigree jersey cows and the trends and nicks that he adopted when it came to mating the right bull with the right cow. My father was very big on duplicating certain blood lines especially to champion-producing female lines.This knowledge assisted me in selecting SIR TRISTRAM. What I saw was in his pedigree through the LADY JOSEPHINE No 9 family and the HYPERION SELENE No 6 family. There was already plenty of this blood in the breeding stock in New Zealand and Australia and I felt that this would give me an opportunity to duplicate SIR TRIS-TRAM with his mares.It did not worry me that SIR TRISTRAM was an average racehorse, for he himself was in my opinion the only weak link in the complete 8 generation pedigree through his sire SIR IVOR and dam ISOLT.The chance was that he may throw progeny that were similar to some of his great relations, hence my reason to take the opportunity to try my father’s theory of duplicating matings.

Q.What are some of the modern day champions that have Sir

Last month we introduced you to Sir Tristram and Zabeel, two stallions that have secured Sir Patrick Hogan’s Cambridge Stud a place in the annals of racing and breed-ing history. This month we hear from the man himself. Sir Patrick Hogan recently answered some questions posed by Zeb Armstrong that cover all things racing and breeding. The result was a most interesting in-depth interview with this Hall of Fame breeder


Tristam as their grandfather or great grandfather? In fact there are probably way too many to list. How about just two or three stunning champions from the Sir Tristram line that have raced in the last five years?Atlantic Jewel, Ocean Park, It’s A Dundeel, Pinker Pinker, Luckygray, Rocket Man and Saintly and the list goes on and on.

Q.From Sir Tristram came Zabeel. Was it just Zabeel’s breeding that led you to purchase him as a sire? Or was there something else about him that you felt would allow him to become a modern day Star Kingdom?From Sir Tristram to Zabeel.ZABEEL was born at Cambridge Stud on 25 October 1986, bred by Robert Sangster and sold at Karaka for $650,000 to Colin Hayes of Lindsay Park.ZABEEL always had the wow factor. Great type, strong head and jowl with a very bold eye, long reign, great shoulder with high sharp wither, short back, very strong hind quarter and a very good sound set of legs notably with a short length of cannon and long forearm.Pedigree - By SIR TRISTRAM Champion Sire, dam LADY GISELLE by NUREYEV, it does not come any better than that. He fitted perfectly into my plan and entered stud at Cambridge at a time when SIR TRISTRAM was entering into his twilight years. The plan worked!

Q.Often a champion Broodmare is forgotten in regards to all the press around a champion sire. However, a broodmare named Eight Carat was definitely known to the general racing public during the 1990s. As well as Octagonal, she gave birth to four other Group One winners. Is she the greatest Broodmare you have had anything to do with? What can you tell us about her and what made her great?EIGHT CARAT - Yes I would have to say she is the best producing mare that I have had anything to do with. Previous to me Robert Sangster owned her.

So just to back up a bit, in 1984 Robert put forward his entire 1982 crop of first born for sale at the yearlings sales in Adelaide. The story goes that he did not wish to race the entire crop but didn’t know which ones to hold onto and which ones to sell. So he offered them in pairs in the sale ring with the successful last bidder to choose which one they wanted leaving the other for Robert to take home and race.Having previously explained in this article about my liking for SIR TRISTRAM with those famous producing families that would duplicate well with the blood in New Zealand and Australia, I picked up in the catalogue that Robert was offering a filly by STICKS AND STONES out of EIGHT CARAT. I immediately recognised that she directly descended through the No 9 family to MUMTAZ MAHAL. This was and still is the most electric speed bloodline of all the tap root families. I went to Adelaide to bid on this pair in the ring and said I’ll have the STICKS AND STONES filly – everyone was amazed including the auctioneer who tried very hard to convince me that the other filly was the one, but I had come to Adelaide for one horse only and it was the one I got.In 1983 Robert sent EIGHT CARAT to Cambridge Stud to mate with SIR TRISTRAM. In 1984 she foaled a magnificent brown colt, later named KAAPSTAAD. In 1984 EIGHT CARAT went to DANA-TORE. By then the STICKS AND STONES filly named DIAMOND LOVER was placed with Colin Jillings and he reported to me the filly was the best of any horse he had trained and that she would one day win the 1200m Group One Railway Stakes. She did exactly that and still holds the race record of 1.7.73.Back to Eight Carat - with that above information and keeping it well locked away, I approached Robert to see if he would sell Eight Carat to me. He put a price on her in foal to Danzatore and I exercised the offer to purchase her.She produced five individual Group One winners for me – Kaapstad, Diamond Lover, Marquise, Mouawad, and the champion Octagonal.What an amazing contribution Eight Carat has given – five Group One winners and a daughter that produced the highest priced yearling of that time at $3.6 million and went on and won the AJC Derby.

“ The New Zealand bred Redcraze, Rising Fast and Tulloch who were all racing during that era was without a doubt a golden age for our horses and resulted

in creating a sense of great pride back here in

New Zealand. We were able to

compete and win with our horses against the

very best in the Southern Hemisphere. “

Sir Patrick Hogan with Zabeel


As well Eight Carat is responsible for, through her immediate blood-lines, Pierro, Commands and Lonhro.Eight Carat was the perfect broodmare type – a very tidy compact mare standing 15.3hh with a short leg, deep girth, very roomy body to carry a foal and other than her front legs, with both knees offset, she was overall all quality. She did race a few times unsuccessfully due to her off set knees.Both Sir Tristram and Eight Carat were no champions on the race-track, but again as my father would say, an ounce of blood is always worth more than a ton of bone, both these were full of the very best bloodlines you could get.

Q.You are clearly a passionate New Zealander and in Australia, we can thank you (and others) for providing us with quality staying types for the last fifty or so years. Redcraze, Tulloch, Rising Fast, Might and Power and Even Stevens just to name a few, all started their lives in New Zealand; what horse, if you had to name any, do you think are the best New Zealand bred horse’s (in your time in racing) to race in Australia? In my time the best NZ horses to race in Australia were SURROUND, OCTAGONAL and SUNLINE.

Q.Has there been a changing of the guard in regards to the types of horses that are being bred in New Zealand? Glorious Days in winning the Hong Kong Mile on December 8 made it four winners in a row in this great mile race, that were sold at the Karaka Sales. Has there been a noticeable shift from staying types to sprinter milers?Well yes I believe there has been, but this is not all bad. In the past NZ did breed a very good stout staying kind of horse but that would not suffice in today’s market. The trainers and owners of yesterday were more patient. Today they want an earlier return. However NZ certainly is not heading the way of sheer speed and sheer speed only. That would just not work out for us.These days we are predominantly looking to breed the classic three-year-old as well as the W.F.A. and the middle distance staying horses (the MIGHT AND POWERs - SO YOU THINKs - OCEAN PARKs – IT’S A DUNDEELs).All those attributes can be achieved in the one same horse. Taking nothing away from any Melbourne Cup winners of the past, but I don’t in my humble opinion believe that Kiwi or Empire Rose could win the Cup if they were to run in it these days.Interestingly I do see a trend coming back by NZ stud masters to mix it up a bit with their stallion choices. We do have a number of stallions presently at stud that I am sure crossed with our mare lines, will give us the progeny that will go on and win these all important staying races in the future.Quite frankly though, the race clubs and administrators in Australia and NZ have stuffed up big time in reducing some of their major races down from two miles and taking the focus away from their most important races.In NZ and Australia we want to win a New Zealand Cup, Wellington Cup, Auckland Cup, Sydney Cup, Perth Cup and Brisbane Cup.Unfortunately these races have been downgraded by racing’s admin-istrators and do not any longer have the same attached criteria with distances reduced and black print status downgraded.

Q.Since Cambridge Stud was started, what sense of pride do you take in providing the world with quality horses that have not just won races, but have sired generations of winners?Achievement through dedication, hard work and a great passion for one’s vocation in life does give one a great sense of pride, especially for your family and the others in the industry that one works alongside - especially within New Zealand and Australia. I do not ever forget

Sir Patrick Hogan and the Zabeel Dynasty cont.....

Zabeel

the sacrifice my father made in the early 1900s emigrating from Ireland to New Zealand. Through him I never forget where my roots originated – Ireland and New Zealand.

Q.How about Gai Waterhouse? How do you two get along? What do you discuss mostly? Gai and Patrick - We both have an enormous respect for each other and are very good friends and we certainly get along just fine because we both always speak our minds. Saying that… we do at times disagree on some issues, but we certainly always respect each other’s point of view. We discuss families, horses, racing and Gai looks after my welfare often when I cannot hear what she is telling me “Patrick put your ears in.”

Q.How about life outside the Stud and the race track? Do you enjoy the All Blacks domination? How about sailing, fishing and skiing, all of which are very popular throughout New Zealand? Time with family? A quiet beer? A hit of golf? How do you unwind after a long couple of months of work in the Waikato?Life outside stud - Well it’s simple, four weeks at the beach and rugby is very big on the agenda (hopefully off to the Rugby World Cup 2015 in England). I also play tennis and don’t mind a red wine - but not too much these days.Having a wife, two daughters, one granddaughter and three grand-sons keeps Poppa very busy. I also seem to keep Justine very busy in looking after me.

Q.One interview cannot possibly cover your complete contribution to the racing industry worldwide. You are a member of both the Australian and New Zealand racing Hall of Fame and of course you have received the ultimate honour of being knighted for services to racing and breeding and also recently honoured with the highest award from the University of Waikato an Honorary Doctorate. Looking back (and forward) what would you describe as having given you the most pleasure personally in your life in the industry?What has given me the most pleasure in the industry? I would have to say having so many great horses to work with – Sir Tristram, Zabeel, Eight Carat and all the different people I have been fortunate to meet and mix with - top of the list Justine and I hosting Her Majesty The Queen’s visit and lunch at Cambridge Stud. This was an extremely proud occasion for Justine, myself, family and staff.


Zabeel in the pasture at Cambridge Stud

Q.From Gai Waterhouse to Queen Elizabeth to the average punter in the pub, do you have one story of meeting someone sometime that still brings a smile to your face?In February 1995 I sponsored Rod Stuart and Rachel Hunter to Cam-bridge Stud and our Waikato Racing Club’s International meeting.The following year I sponsored Joan Collins and a huge crowd turned up - I was very unpopular with all the ladies on the day as Joan and I were seen to be spending far too much time together. I suppose I can’t get it right all the time but I must say I did enjoy watching Dynasty many years ago.

Q.The list of champions that have hit the ground under your watch is simply huge. But how about ownership? What were some of the best horses that have raced under your ownership? Do you still have ambition of winning a particular race with a horse you own?I have had some very good race horses over the years, however until the mid 80s I could not afford to be a racehorse owner. Since then I have had ST REIMS (NZ Derby) SMILING LIKE (NZ Cup – Wel-lington Cup) IRISH CHANCE (Auckland Cup), DIAMOND LOVER (NZ Group One Railway).KATIE LEE (NZ One Thousand Guineas & NZ Two thousand Guineas) is the only horse in history to win both. LASHED (winner of three Group One races including the Zabeel Classic). One race yes… I deserve a Melbourne Cup as my payment for the contribution I’ve given to breeding and racing.

responsibility do you take in regards to the continual prosperity of racing? Do you have to be careful what you say in the public domain due to the weight your voice carries in the industry espe-cially in Australasia? I believe in don’t beat about the bush. I’ll be straight up but never of-fensive. It’s not difficult if one is someone that has the respect of the industry which certainly Gai does and I would like to think I would be the same. We do have to bear in mind that none of us are perfect or right all the time. I say that every opinion given is always worth considering so that one can come up with the correct conclusion.

Q.If you could make one change to the racing / breeding industry in order to make racing better what would it be?In New Zealand Racing - Amalgamating a number of race clubs and race venues in certain geographical areas would wipe out the enor-mous costs of duplication in the racing industry. Develop two all-weather tracks for Winter - Spring racing, develop Hong Kong’s race track surface at ARC Ellerslie and race there every 2nd or 3rd Saturday throughout the year. This is where the greatest population of the people are in New Zealand and the Auckland / Waikato area is where the majority of horses are trained. Costs are out of hand and require an overhaul and we need a separate board to administer the thoroughbred racing industry. I say cut loose from the standard breds and greyhounds, have separate boards that stand alone and are competitive. This would let the thoroughbred

Q.Leaving aside New Zealand racing, what do you think is the greatest race in the world? Once it was the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe now it is the Melbourne Cup

Q.Have you attended the Kentucky Derby, the Melbourne Cup, the Epsom Derby, the Grand National, the Arc, the Dubai World Cup and the Japan Cup? If so, which of these race meetings have you been the most ‘taken’ by?I have attended the Dubai World Cup and it would be top of the list for me.

Q.Racing has always had ‘figures’ that are very influential and who the industry calls upon in low times. You are clearly an influ-ential racing figure, as is Gai Waterhouse. As a public figure, what

racing industry go their own individual way. (Rugby, League and Cricket are not run by one single board). Revamp TV to air one racetrack channel on trackside TV exclusively for thoroughbreds. We need better returns that would flow towards racing stakes which in turn would further stimulate the breeding industry.

Q.How are the Cambridge crop looking for the upcoming Karaka Sales? Is there one or two standouts we should keep an eye on?All the ZABEEL’s. Quite frankly what stallion other than Zabeel, can produce progeny that can win the Classics, the WFA races, the middle distance races and Cups all with one individual.The two FASTNET ROCK colts from KATIE LEE and GLAMOR-OUS GIRL will also be well sort after.Thank you Sir Patrick. This was magnificent and good luck in the future.


First Season Sire: Hinchinbrook

The first season Hinchinbrook foals are not only on the ground, but several are on their way to Tulloch Lodge to enjoy the love and care that only Gai

Waterhouse can provide. At the recent Magic Millions sales Round Table Racing and Gai Waterhouse teamed up to purchase two Hinchin-brook foals while Gai alone has purchased an additional two.Breeders worldwide these days are not just looking for the horses that are dominant on the race track, but also for the well performed horses with an excellent pedigree. Hinchin-brook, standing at Yarraman Park falls into this category.On his sire’s side Hinchinbrook is by super sire Fastnet Rock, son of Danehill and grandson of the great Danzig. On Hinchinbrook’s dam’s side the great stallions Snippets and Storm Bird ap-pear, thus increasing the strength of the progeny of this very handsome entire. Due to a strong interest in Hinchinbrook’s pedigree and his performances on the race track Hinchinbrook’s book of mares was full very ear-ly in the season. It is not every day a first season sire has his book closed so early.On the track Hinchinbrook had fourteen starts for two wins, a second and six third placings. The stallion finished behind Black Caviar three times in his last four starts and he was never further back than sixth after chasing the great mare. At his last start, he raced against Hay List over 1400m where he ran a terrific second to the speed horse. Before that he was very narrowly beaten in the Group One Oakleigh Plate. Hinchinbrook’s two wins came as a two-year-old, firstly in the Canonbury on debut, and then in the traditional Slipper lead up, the Group Three Skyline, where he beat an eventual Group One winner, Pressday. In the Slipper Hinchin-brook was beaten just 1.5 lengths and then he was very unlucky in the Sires’, beaten just a few inches after a torrid run. When reviewing the career of Hinchinbrook, not only do names like Black Caviar and Hay List pop up regularly, but also names like Buffering, Crystal Lily, Eagle

Falls, Hot Danish, Decision Time, Toorak Toff, Squamosa and Yosei. This clearly indicates that the future stallion was never far away from the best company and was al-ways considered to be competitive amongst champion horses.When asked about Hinchinbrook, director of Yarraman Park, Arthur Mitchell, stated “Hinchinbrook was born and raised at Yarraman. We followed his race career with great interest as it was always a dream of ours to stand him here as a stallion. The colt was bred and retained by his owner Francois Naude as he was the last foal from the great producer Snippet’s Lass. We agree that Hinchinbrook ticks all the boxes for a successful sire in looks, pedigree and race performance.”As previously mentioned, at the recent Magic Millions sales on the Gold Coast Bruce Slade’s new syndication compa-ny Round Table Racing purchased two

Hinchinbrook foals to be trained by Gai Wa-terhouse. These are lot 44, a bay filly out of Saint Minerva and lot 77, another bay filly out of the US bred mare Simply Enchant-ing. Gai Waterhouse purchased lot 235, a bay colt out of the good race mare Believe ‘N Achieve as well as lot 240, another bay colt out of Belle Amici. All these yearlings looked sensational in the sales ring and had really come on well since Gai’s spring yearling inspection tour. Hinchinbrook stands at Yarraman Park for a service fee of just $16,500 and all stud inquiries can be directed to Arthur Mitchell via www.yarramanpark.com.au In an age of ‘super sires’ Hinchinbrook has all the hallmarks of becoming a champion stallion. Gai is considered a champion selec-tor of yearlings. The fact that she committed to four Hinchinbrook progeny at the Magic Millions says it all about this wonderful son of Fastnet Rock. ▣

By Zeb Armstrong

Hinchinbrook

Our 2014 Winners


Star Thoroughbreds’ Driefontein (Fastnet Rock x Follow Gold)

R.M.WILLIAMS MAGIC MILLIONS FILLIES & MARES HANDICAP 1300m

11 January 2014

Star Thoroughbreds’ Whittington(Tale of the Cat x Maha Chakri) MYER MAGIC MILLIONS OPEN SPRINT 1100m 11 January 2014

Sweet Idea (Snitzel x Flidais)

GOLD COAST $1 MILLION MAGIC MILLIONS 3YO GUINEAS 1400m

11 January 2014

© Magic Millions

© Magic Millions

© Magic Millions

Our 2014 Winners


Almighty Charge(Charge Forward x Redoute’s Fever)

HANDICAP 1400mRoyal Randwick

18 January 2014

Woodbine(Hussonet x Miss Finland)

ATC MEMBERSHIP ON SALE NOW SPRINT 1200mRoyal Randwick

18 January 2014

Laidback Larry(O’Reilly x Larrinka)

HANDICAP 2000mRoyal Randwick

18 January 2014





Only the Best Opportunities for Gai’s Rising Stars

Gai is leaving no rock unturned in her mentoring of apprentice Adam Sewell. Just one month after donning his silks for the first time

at Wyong Racecourse, where Adam rode Star Thoroughbreds’ Deralon (Lonhro x Lady of the Valley), Gai arranged for a one month trip for him to the States to spend some time under the wing of one of America’s leading trainers Wes-ley Ward. Adam now joins the ranks of other successful young jockeys, Blake Shinn 26, and Adam Hyeronimus 22, who have already been given the experience of American Trainers.Ward is a retired champion jockey-turned trainer thus following his father Dennis Ward’s footsteps into training. He is known not only for his success with two-year-olds, but also for his mentoring of young riders. Ward has been instrumental in the success of many young jock-eys, including leading three young riders to earn the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice in their respective years. Gai has maintained an edge over her competi-tors through her extensive first-hand experience and knowledge of other top training methods. It is clear she transfers this knowledge on to her younger riders, regularly making possible career building opportunities such as this.Adam settled into Ward’s stable as a track rider with ease, soaking up all he could learn from the experience and recounting the pleasure of riding with the likes of top American jockey Kent Desormeaux who was inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame in 2004. Adam recalled his most memorable moment was riding a horse called Breezers on turf he described as “so smooth and green it could have passed as a bowling green.” His favourite ride was Lady Catelyn, a small chestnut filly who

By Madison Whant

Adam at trackwork with Ed O’Rourke, Ranjeet Singh and Ryan Prendergast

was always on the ball and could really run. Most importantly, Adam was able to ex-perience first-hand some of the differences between American and Australian training methods. Adam’s fondness for running at a slower pace over longer distances was nowhere to be found. In its place, he learnt to ride in short, fast sprints allowing the horses to rest between training for longer periods. Wesley Ward, who favours freshness in his horses, challenged Adam’s comfort zones with horses like Pachanga Party who Adam credits for quite a few lessons. “Each time I got on his back he’d try something new with me. If he wasn’t dropping his head between

his legs he was ducking and darting to and fro, testing me the whole time.” “Overall,” He says, “You cannot compare everything because there are so many small parts that are different over there. Personally I prefer Aussie training, but the experience was one of many that will aid my future career. I am very grateful to Wesley Ward for having me and to Gai for making it happen.”We will definitely be seeing much more from Tulloch Lodge’s budding young ap-prentice so be sure to keep your eye out for his next ride. At the time of printing Adam rode his first placegetter (third) Zenit at Armidale. ▣

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