Gai`s Gazette - Gai Waterhouse

Transcription

GAI’S GAZETTE
2ND EDITION/SEPTEMBER 2013
Find out more about racing a horse with Gai Waterhouse at www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au
Cheeky Choice
EDITORIAL
Who wants to own a Group One Flight Stakes winner?
INDUSTRY FOCUS
An interview with Widden’s Antony Thompson
THE PRIVATE TRACK DEBATE
Rob Waterhouse on the“private track myth”
Proudly Sponsored by Magic Millions
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www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au
GAI’S GAZETTE
WHAT’S NEW?
Information
From the Pen of the Lady Trainer............................................................... Pages 4-5
Editor-in-Chief: Lea Stracey
Recent Winners..................................................................................................... Pages 6-7
Editor: Madison Whant
Who wants to own a Group One Flight Stakes Winner?............. Pages 8-9
Production Manager: Adrian Bott
In the Spotlight: Antony Thompson.........................................................Pages 10-11
Advertising Manager: Adrian Bott
Vale Northern Meteor.........................................................................................Page 12
Journalists: Zeb Armstrong, Rob Waterhouse, James Harron,
Chris O’Sullivan on colic.................................................................................... Pages 12-13
Madison Whant, Grant Vandenberg and David Bay
Extra... Extra... Read all about it...................................................................... Page 14
Graphic Design and Layout: Madison Whant
Performance of the Month............................................................................. Page 15
Chief Photographer: Bradley Photographers
The Private Track Debate.................................................................................. Pages 16-17
Major Sponsors: Magic Millions, Widden Stud and Emirates
Future Forecasts..................................................................................................... Page 18
Park Stud
The Overseas Influence......................................................................................Page 19
Major contributors: Zeb Armstrong
Instinction Joins Eliza Park International in QLD............................... Page 20
Producers: Graphic Impressions
Behind the Scenes with jockey Thomas Huet....................................Pages 22-23
Behind the Scenes with stable manager Mel Norton...................Pages 24-25
Back in the Day with T.J. Smith......................................................................Pages 26-28
Sunday at the stables...........................................................................................Pages 30-31
Fiorente and Carlton House
Bradley Photographers
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Gai and Monty Roberts observe the Friday jumpouts on his visit to Randwick
Photograph by Need for Steed Australia
From the pen Of the Lady Trainer
I
am lucky to have three sensational middle distance horses in the stable at the
moment, all of whom are raring to go heading towards Flemington. The Melbourne
Cup is the holy grail of Australian racing
and it is such a thrill to have these three live
chances this early in the build up towards
the Cup. The leader of the pack is Fiorente
(Monsun x Desert Bloom); the striking
brown entire is again aimed at the first
Tuesday in November after a brilliant runner
up finish in the race that stops a nation
in 2012. For one brief shining moment
Fiorente returned for the 1400m All-Aged
Stakes at Randwick in the autumn where he
ran third. He was then spelled in preparation
for the riches at Flemington in the spring.
Australia’s richest and most competitive
race, the Melbourne Cup will be upon us
before we know it. For racegoers the world
stands still for the little over three minutes
the race generally takes. For Australians
everywhere the race draws us together in
anticipation and excitement. For owners,
jockeys, trainers, strappers and everyone
else concerned with the industry the race
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represents years of preparation in peaking a
horse at that exact moment. Fiorente will not
be on his own in the search for the ultimate
racing glory. My hardy and durable front
running Group One winner Glencadam
Gold (Refuse to Bend x Sandrella) is also
on a Melbourne Cup quest. This gelding
was purchased for just 135,000 guineas at
the Tattersall’s sales at Newmarket, England.
Many bloodstock agents collectively raised
an eyebrow when the son of Refuse to Bend
was knocked down to Bruce Slade for Gai
Waterhouse. Both Fiorente and Glencadam
Gold have one thing in common… they both,
through their form, caught the attention of Mr
Rob Waterhouse. Rob has been a bookie for
many a long year now and he is one of very
few Australian bookmakers who still do their
own form for the races. Rob’s keen eye spotted something in Glencadam Gold’s form that
no one else could see. Glencadam Gold did
not last long as a stallion in Australia. Before
he was gelded his mind was on anything but
racing. Glencadam Gold repaid our faith in
him firstly by winning his first four starts
culminating in the Group One Metropolitan
Handicap, then by running a tremendous
sixth in the 2012 Melbourne Cup. Carlton
House (Street Cry x Talented) on the other
hand was sent to me by Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth on the recommendation of John
Warren, Her Majesty’s bloodstock agent.
John has first-hand experience of how my
stable functions and how I communicate
with my owners. John felt Tulloch Lodge
was the perfect place for Carlton House to
recapture his form after he seemingly was not
performing at his best, especially at his last
overseas run in the Hong Kong Cup at Sha
Tin. So the entire was shipped Down Under
and I gave him one start in the autumn where
he finished midfield. Carlton House was then
sent for a spell. Spelling a spring contender
after one autumn start is a common practice
among Australian trainers. Some might say
it is done in order to free up boxes, but this
could not be further from the truth. Spring
horses enjoy coming back for one autumn
start then heading back out because it breaks
up the monotonous routine of being in a
Fiorente will follow a similar prep to that of
box and completing track work each day.
Green Moon in 2012. I have been studying
In this country of sunshine and energy
the lead up races of the past 20 Cup winners
inducing feed, a horse when spelling will
in an attempt to learn more and more about
invariably grow. Their feet grow, their bones
how to get a horse to peak for this legendary
grow as does their overall size. Glencadam
two mile race. There will be no stone left
Gold, Fiorente and Carlton House are all
unturned in my attempt to take home the
remarkably bigger now. A spell after one
2013 Melbourne Cup. Glencadam Gold will
quick start also freshens up a horse’s mind.
fly the flag in his home state of NSW before
For the equine residents of Tulloch Lodge
heading south. His preparation will kick off in
it is my way or the highway. I want my
the Chelmsford. Carlton House’s preparation
horses to be competitive at the highest
is a slightly more open forum.
level. That is my number one goal for each
While talking with Her Majesty at Royal
horse that walks through the gates. Some
Ascot, Monty Roberts’ name came up as
horses have an agenda and this can stop
someone who could assist us in the solving
them achieving their best. Once a horse and
of Carlton House’s barrier problems. Monty
I see eye to eye and understand each other
was in Australia this month and the world
perfectly we can get on with the business of
famous horse whisperer was not intending
winning Group One races.
Lloyd Williams knows better than anyone to visit Sydney while he was Down Under.
else what it takes to get a horse (especially However, after I called him, he was more
a horse bred in Europe) to peak at around than happy to come and see Carlton House
3pm on the first Tuesday in November. in Sydney. ‘Anything I can do for Her Majesty,
When Lloyd speaks about a potential Cup well, I am only too happy to help.’ He said,
preparation, the Lady Trainer listens intently. ‘Her Majesty is a big inspiration of mine and I
am glad you gave me a call.’
Even in its embryonic state I am much
enjoying the challenge and the team of people that have come together to produce the
gazette. Zeb Armstrong is our driving force
and fearless leader. Zeb is also the biggest
contributor to the gazette. His knowledge
of the Australian racing industry is jaw
dropping and his enthusiasm is contagious.
Madison Whant is our young and very talented budding editor. Madison is just cutting
her teeth in the industry and she is doing a
fantastic job. Adrian Bott is our production
and advertising manager. Adrian is doing
an outstanding job of tying together all the
threads as well as liaising with the gazette
sponsors Magic Millions and the other major
contributors. Lastly, but definitely not least,
there is my dear friend Lea Stracey who
proofreads all the separate articles, then
edits, then edits again until the gazette is
perfect for your reading.
I hope you enjoy our articles each month,
and stay tuned…..
Tommy Berry on Glencadam Gold
Have a message for Gai? Tell us your story..... Send your letters to emma@gaiwaterhouse.com.au
The deadline for our next issue is September 20.
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War
Forever Loved
Order of the Sun
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Aussies Love Sport
Star Thoroughbreds Mr Jackman
SOME RECENT
WINNERS
With Bradley Photographers
Spurtonic
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Who wants to own
A Group One Flight Stakes Winner?
By ZEB ARMSTRONG
S
o you want to own a Flight Stakes winner? The best way to achieve this goal is
to make your way to the Gold Coast in any
given January for the Magic Millions sales,
find the Lady Trainer and ask nicely if you
may take a percentage of a filly purchased
by Gai. Why is this you may ask? Well Gai
has trained seven Flight Stakes winners and
five of these were purchased at the Magic
Millions sales on the Gold Coast. These five
Magic Millions graduates that have delivered
a Flight Stakes trophy to Tulloch Lodge
include three consecutive winners for Gai in
2004, 2005 and 2006. Has any other trainer
in recent memory won the same Group One
Classic three years in a row?
The Flight Stakes is a wonderful race named
after a wonderful race mare. Flight was a
champion mare in the final years of World
War II and in the immediate aftermath of
the conflict. The durable champion was one
of the main reasons racing enjoyed a ‘boom’
period directly after WWII. She had 65
starts for 24 wins including two Cox Plates
plus many more feature races; Flight also had
the unnerving privilege of regularly running
against immortal champions Bernborough
and Shannon. After racing for five full seasons, Flight produced just one foal, the aptly
named Flight’s Daughter.
This mare produced two full brothers both
by legendary stallion Star Kingdom; they
Ha Ha (Danehill x Very Droll) cost
$300,000 as a yearling at the 2000 Magic
Millions sales. $300,000 is quite a price to
pay for a yearling - in fact Ha Ha was the
most expensive of Gai’s five Flight Stakes
winners that were purchased at the Magic
Millions sales. But $300,000 seems like a
bargain when compared to Ha Ha’s career
earnings of $2,989,465. This filly was
another example of a brilliant purchase by
Gai at the Magic Millions. Ha Ha won eight
races in her career and six of these were at
Group or Listed level. The filly’s best wins
were no doubt the 2001 Golden Slipper as
well as the 2001 Flight Stakes. Ha Ha was
placed in the Furious before winning the
Tea Rose and the Flight Stakes. In winning
the Flight Stakes, Ha Ha beat the super filly
Hosannah.
Danglissa
Danglissa (Danzero x Vreeland)
was purchased by Gai in conjunction with
Denise Martin from Star Thoroughbreds
at the 1998 Magic Millions for just $45,000.
The daughter of Danzero had a brilliant
three-year-old season; in fact almost all of
her $864,415 was won during her threeyear-old season. Danglissa resumed as a
three-year-old in a 1500m Magic Millions
race at Rosehill where she ran second,
beaten by less than half a length.
After this second, Danglissa won the two
traditional Flight Stakes lead up races, the
Group Three Furious Stakes and the Group
Two Tea Rose. Danglissa won these races
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were Skyline who won a Golden Slipper
and an AJC Derby and the immortal Sky
High who is one of the best ten horses to
ever grace the Australian turf. The race that
honours Flight - The Flight Stakes is run over
1600m in the Sydney Spring for three-yearold fillies.
It is a Group One event. Gai has trained
seven Flight Stakes winners in total; they are
Assertive Lass (1996), Danglissa (1999), Ha
Ha (2001), Lotteria (2004), Fashions Afield
(2005), Cheeky Choice (2006) and More
Joyous (2009). The middle five winners were
all purchased at the Magic Millions sales on
the Gold Coast and these five were all very
special fillies.
very easily both as a short priced favourite.
Then on Epsom Day 1999, Danglissa bolted
in in the Flight Stakes as an odds on favourite. After this monumental win, Danglissa
went south and was narrowly beaten in
the Thousand Guineas, the Wakeful and
the VRC Oaks. After her Melbourne spring
efforts, Danglissa returned to Sydney for the
autumn and put an exclamation mark on
her career with a win in the Queen of the
Turf Stakes. This race is now a Group One.
She was retired having won six races (four
at Group or Listed level) and having made
almost 20 times her purchase price on the
track.
Fashions Afield (Redoute’s Choice x
Attire) was purchased by Gai at the 2004
Magic Millions sales for $230,000. The
speedy filly through dogged determination and a will to win managed to bank
$1,974,110 on the track during her 22 start
race career.
In all of Fashions Afield’s best wins including the 2005 Flight Stakes, she beat the gun
Ingham owned and multiple Group One
winning filly Mnemosyne. The two clashed
as two-year-olds with Fashions Afield coming out on top in the Riesling and the Group
One Sires’ and as three-year-olds where
Fashions Afield maintained her
advantage in the Flight Stakes. In five
clashes, Fashions Afield won three while
Mnemosyne won two. Fashions Afield is
another example of a very affordable filly
chosen by Gai that went on to make a huge
amount of money on the track. Anytime a
filly makes eight times more on the track
than its sale price as Fashions Afield did, is
a success story. Gai seems to have young
horses under her watch that achieve these
statistics very frequently.
Lotteria (Redoute’s Choice x Rose
Reward) won the Flight Stakes in 2004,
but unlike Gai’s previous winners in this
great race, Lotteria won not as a juvenile
champion, but as a filly on the rise. This
daughter of Redoute’s Choice was purchased by Gai at the 2003 Magic Millions
sales for $260,000. In hindsight this seems
like a bargain especially since Redoute’s
Choice was flying as a stallion in 2003
and also the fact that Lotteria picked up
$1,491,560 on the track in her 17 start race
career. Lotteria may have made even more
on the track had she not run into a couple
of Australia’s best ever horses, but, even so,
this wonderful filly was simply breathtaking
on the track and she more than held her
own in the biggest races on the Australian
racing calendar. Whereas Danglissa and
Ha Ha won the Flight Stakes off the back
of great performances in the Furious and
Tea Rose, Lotteria took out the classic after
a trip to Newcastle. After just holding on in
the Spring Classic in Newcastle, Gai felt her
gun filly was going well enough to be given
her chance in the Group One Flight Stakes.
Again this was a masterstroke from the Lady
Trainer because as the $4 second favourite,
Lotteria produced one of the best Flight
Stakes performances in the 66 year history
of the race to win by seven lengths. After
this win Lotteria came back in the autumn
and won the Surround Stakes, then as a fouryear-old in the following spring the now
mare won the Shannon, ran a place in the
Epsom (beaten by Desert War by a length),
ran second to Makybe Diva in the Cox Plate
then won the Myer Classic at Flemington.
Lotteria did make almost six times her
purchase price on the track and performed
so beautifully well against the likes of Desert
War at his best and a near-on unbeatable
Makybe Diva in that mare’s history defining
2005 spring.
Cheeky Choice (Redoute’s Choice x
Christchurch) was purchased by Gai at the
2005 Magic Millions sales for $200,000.
Lotteria
Cheeky Choice
The filly repaid Gai’s faith firstly by winning
$595,425 on the track and secondly, after
retirement, by being sold while in foal to
More Than Ready for over one million
dollars. On the track, Cheeky Choice was a
cheeky front runner that fought exceptionally hard and was very hard to get past. She
won four from fifteen, all at the top level
and was only unplaced five times in her
career. Cheeky Choice was a winner at two
and three but no doubt the best win of her
career was the 2006 Flight Stakes. On this
fine October day in 2006, Hugh Bowman
from barrier 17 managed to position Cheeky
Choice firstly outside the leader, then eventually in the lead. The filly showed all her
tenacity to not only hold on to win after
a hard run, but to actually extend in the
straight and beat a crack field by 2.5 lengths.
The evidence is conclusive. Winning a
Group One race seven times in fourteen
years (1996 – 2009) is remarkable enough,
but when five of these wins including
three in three consecutive years were all
purchased at the Magic Millions, well that
is a truly outstanding achievement. Gai
Waterhouse and the Magic Millions sales
when combined clearly have an unbelievable record in the Flight Stakes. Join Gai and
the team at the Magic Millions sales from
January 8 to 14 2014 and you never know,
you might leave owning a percentage of a
future Flight Stakes winner. The form guide
says you have a big chance!
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Antony Thompson & Widden Stud
Widden Stud is widely known as one of the most successful thoroughbred studs in
Australia. Zeb Armstrong interviews Widden owner and breeder, Antony Thompson.
Y
ou are a 7th generation breeder at a
stud that has been in the family for
140 years. The stud has once been home
to three of Australia’s greatest ever horses
in Ajax, Todman and Vain. These three
horses fit comfortably in the top ten in
Australian racing history and they all
ended up at Widden as sires after their
brilliant careers were finished. How do
you uphold the level of excellence that is
expected at Widden in this age of competitiveness and technology after being on top
for over 100 years?
Like all businesses we must continue to
evolve and reinvest. We have reinvested
heavily into some great young stallions,
quality mares, facilities on the farm and the
people that work here. Having great young
people involved in the stud makes the evolving part much easier as they bring new ideas
and technology. Ensuring we implement
this technology to communicate effectively
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with our clients is one example of how we
are able to continue to uphold our level of
excellence.
Gai always makes mention of one specific
thing when it comes to promising yearlings; the importance of the paddocks
that they are allowed to play and graze in
which allows them to develop and grow in
their first year. Gai also regularly makes
mention of the ground in the Hunter
Valley and how it is perfect ‘horse country.’
What can you tell us about the geography
of Widden Stud, and the beautiful fenced
paddocks where the yearlings spend their
first year?
The Widden Valley is very unique, stunningly beautiful and fertile. As we own over
8000 acres we are able to provide lovely
big paddocks for the young horses to grow
in and develop. At the sales we commonly
receive feedback on how well-grown and
muscled our yearlings are in addition to
them having great bone but ultimately it is
the level of success on the race track where
you are judged and our record for producing
the winners of big races is second to none.
What does a normal day entail during
breeding season?
Long hours and lots of hard work from the
team at Widden.
What about during the sales?
The hours are still long however the work
is not that hard for me as I get to talk to the
buyers while they inspect our yearlings. The
yearling grooms have very busy days ensuring each yearling looks magnificent and is
paraded well for each individual inspection.
Leaving aside the immortal stallions that
have stood at Widden, what is the best
horse that has ever set foot on the
property?
A couple of the greatest ever to grace the
Australian turf in Ajax and Kingston Town
spring to mind as both had incredible race
records and a huge following.
How about one of your favourite ‘Widden
Graduates’ in your time in charge?
There are many on the list. Selling three
recent Caulfield Guineas winners in Helenus,
Whobegotyou and Anacheeva gave us huge
satisfaction. Dane Ripper and Sun Classique
were foaled and raised at Widden and seeing
them win the Cox Plate and the Dubai
World Cup was exciting. This year, we
have been enjoying Pitcrew’s success as he
was Sebring’s first foal and a real character.
Obviously many of the same team that raced
Sebring also race Pitcrew with Gai which is
very fitting.
From Marscay to Sebring, what are the
most noticeable changes in the breeding
industry?
The level of care for both the horses and
clients is much higher and as a result the
breeding industry has become much
more labour intensive. Competition is far
greater than it’s ever been in Australia with
the introduction of major international
conglomerates to the market. This is why
now more than ever we need to maintain
a very close relationship with our clients.
Ultimately, we are in the business to achieve
success for our clients, produce race horses
of the highest standard and offer stallions
that are suited to Australian conditions.
The Hunter Valley is famous for three
things: wine, horses and coal. It is remark-
Todman only ever lost one race (he broke
down in his other loss) and it was to
Tulloch. The colt was the first and one of
the most dominant Golden Slipper winners ever. Perhaps the only horse that has
been more dominant in the Golden Slipper
was Vain. Then there are other Slipper
winners Marscay, Stratum and Sebring. All
these champions have stood at Widden
(Sebring and Stratum currently). Why has
Widden always targeted the best Slipper
winners?
The Golden Slipper is Australia’s sire making
race. It is the ultimate test of a young horse’s
speed, soundness and constitution. For a colt
to be able to cope with this early pressure
and excel, it proves they are very sound of
mind and limb. These qualities undoubtedly
attract the commercial breeders looking to
breed a horse that can inherit these important traits.
Gai has the runs on the board to indicate
that she has one of the best eyes for a
yearling in the entire industry. How are
things at Widden when the Gai juggernaut
arrives each year to inspect the yearlings?
Gai and her team work very hard at securing
the right yearlings and this involves at least
two trips to the farm each year to inspect
them, as well as many parades at the sales
prior to the yearlings being auctioned.
They’re a very professional team and we
are always pleased to see Gai none more so
than my children Amy and Sam who get
very excited whenever Gai is coming and
there is always a great deal of fun and lots of
pranks!
able that arguably the best of these three
industries all come from the Hunter.
How does one relatively small area cope
with three such fundamental Australian
industries in almost perfect harmony?
The wine and horses produced in the
Hunter have co-existed and complemented
each other very well as both industries are
environmentally friendly and have quite a
common client base.
Unfortunately the rapid expansion of
the coal mines in the past ten years has
encroached on much of the prime land of
the Hunter region and is threatening both
the horse and wine industry in some parts.
It is very important that the Government
protects the prime horse land of the Hunter
from any further expansions from these
mines.
Antony and Gai with Sebring
i
11
vale Northern Meteor
By ZEB ARMSTRONG
N
orthern Meteor (Encosta de Lago x
Explosive) had just nine starts for Gai
Waterhouse. His first two starts were less
than average leading the colt to be given a
freshen up by Gai. This little break really
switched him on and at his next two starts
he broke track records: the 1250m record
at Canterbury and the 1200m record at
Randwick. Then he won the Group One
Coolmore Stakes down the Flemington
straight. With these three performances
the colt had stamped his papers as a future
stallion. He was then sent for a break before
coming back with a brilliant fourth first up
in the Newmarket at Flemington. After this
race Northern Meteor had just three more
starts, the best being a second to Takeover
Target in the TJ Smith at Randwick. He was
then retired and sent to stud.
In his brief time at stud Northern Meteor
sired Group One winner and promising
Waterhouse gelding Romantic Touch, plus
city winners Cosmic Endeavour, Zoustar,
Northern Glory, Eurozone and other promising horses Equator, The Voice, Bound For
Earth, Mount Zero and Swing Vote
among others.
Sadly Northern Meteor died of colic
recently and we are only left to wonder how
great his legacy may have been.....
Northern Meteor
Chris O’Sullivan on Colic
Specialist equine surgeon at Randwick Equine Centre, Sydney. (BVSc,MS,Dip ACVS)
C
olic is a word used to describe
abdominal pain. While there are many
potential causes of colic, horses typically
manifest signs of ‘colic’ similarly. Signs
typical of a horse with abdominal pain
include: pawing, flank watching, rolling and
lying down. The intensity of the signs seen
is directly related to the severity of the pain.
(Figure 1)
Colic in young thoroughbred horses in race
training is not common, particularly when
compared to the general horse population.
The incidence of colic in the general horse
population is somewhere around about
5% having a colic episode per year. The
resultant mortality (death) rate is less than
0.5% per year. In the past, parasites did play
a major role in many cases of colic. With the
advent of effective anthelmintics (wormers)
combined with worming strategies, parasite
burdens in well maintained thoroughbred
racehorses are minimal. We do occasionally
still see weanling aged thoroughbreds with
parasite burdens, particularly tape worms
12
that can be a predisposing factor in some
colic cases.
Horses evolved on the grass plains and
have developed a very efficient gastrointestinal system for the digestion of plant material.
The resultant anatomy of their gastrointestinal system is not however without its flaws.
Horses have a very mobile large colon that
can end up in the wrong position within the
abdomen or worse twist upon itself. They
also have up to 60 feet of small intestine that
is spread throughout the abdomen and is relatively mobile. Even in the normal abdomen
there are areas where the bowel can become
entrapped or incarcerated. Occasionally
congenital abnormalities can also contribute
to a bowel obstruction or strangulation.
The horse’s gut is designed to be working
all the time as at pasture horses are grazing
approximately 22 of the 24 hours in a day.
Any disruption to this constant transit of
food immediately results in a back up of
gas, fluid and ingesta. Such disruptions also
result in rapid systemic dehydration since
large volumes of saliva and gastrointestinal
secretions fail to transit to the hind gut
where they are absorbed under normal
circumstances.
The horse also does not have a functional
vomit reflex and obstructions of the fore gut
can result in stomach rupture and loss of the
animal.
Generally the pain seen in colic is due
to tension on the bowel. The tension may
occur at the site of the blockage or as a result
of a back up of gas and ingesta oral to the
site. In most cases of colic the normal flow
of ingesta is disrupted. This may be due to a
temporary loss of co-ordinated bowel movement resulting in a failure of normal transit
or it may be a more permanent disruption to
the flow of ingesta. These may be due to an
intra-luminal obstruction within the bowel
such as a foreign body, impaction of feed
material, gravel or sand or an obstruction
due to the bowel being displaced, entrapped
or incarcerated within the abdomen causing
an extra-luminal obstruction. Obstructions
may also affect blood supply to the bowel
which can lead to death of that section of
the bowel and eventual rupture. Rupture
of the bowel within the abdominal cavity
in all circumstances results in loss of the
animal due to overwhelming peritonitis.
Figure 1. Uncontrollable rolling is often associated with more severe cases of colic.
The colic case
The primary goal of the veterinary
examination in a case of colic is to determine the most appropriate treatment.
While the cause may not be apparent, the
horse should be classified as a case that
should be treated medically, or one that
would require surgery. This distinction
is often difficult to make early in a colic
episode. Apart from the history and
a basic clinical examination a variety
of diagnostic tools are available to the
veterinarian including but not limited to
nasogastric intubation, rectal examination,
ultrasonographic examination, blood
work, abdominocentesis (abdominal fluid
analysis) and radiography. These tools
when used appropriately contribute to the
decision making process.
Figure 2. Medical management such as intravenous fluids are required in some m
edical cases and most surgical cases of colic.
Medical colic cases
The majority of colic cases fall into this
category, with most responding to one
dose of analgesics (pain killers). Others
will require more supportive therapy
including oral fluids, mineral oil or
cathartics (such as magnesium sulfate) in
order to resolve the problem. Occasionally
horses will require hospitalisation in order
to be monitored and treated appropriately with the occasional case requiring
intravenous fluid support and electrolyte
replacement. (Figure 2)
Figure 3. Surgical colic cases require a large well trained team to maximise
successful outcomes.
Surgical colic cases
Occasionally a colic case will require
surgical intervention. The key to success
in surgical cases is early identification and
rapid correction of the problem (Figures
3 and 4). It is these surgical cases, that if
not identified and dealt with appropriately
initially, will have a poor to grave prognosis. Even a couple of hours can make
the difference between a good and grave
prognosis. For this reason it is important
for all colic cases to be properly assessed
by a veterinarian in order to identify
potential surgical cases as early as possible.
The success rates for surgical colic have
improved dramatically over the last 20
years with improvements in pre-operative, intra-operative and post operative
management of these cases. An uncomplicated surgical case should be able to
re-enter race training as early as 60 days
after surgery.
Figure 4. The large colon is a large and mobile structure, as seen here with the
majority of the colon exteriorised out of the abdomen on a purpose built tray.
13
Extra... Extra...
Read all about it
By ZEB ARMSTRONG
It’s a Dundeel
S
pring is on the forefront of everyone’s
mind because it is currently freezing,
and also because a few of the better horses
are starting to make it back to the track.
Puissance de Lune, the current Melbourne
Cup favourite and potential Spring drawcard
returned with an effortless win in the Group
Two Lawrence Stakes. Fellow Melbourne
Cup fancy Fiorente is back. The stunning
entire has been training the house down at
Randwick.
The Melbourne Cup has already started
its annual Australia wide tour en-route to
Flemington in preparation for one of the
estimated 150 nominations to claim it come
3pm, on the first Tuesday in November
2013. This is a fabulous initiative from the
VRC because it starts the hype for the race
that stops a nation nice and early.
Fiorente and Puissance De Lune will be
much discussed in the coming months, but
there are at least 150 other horses that will
carry someone’s dreams and someone else’s
hard earned at some stage in the next few
14
months.
The Golden Rose will be upon us very
soon in Sydney and this usually provides
one of the best and most competitive Group
One races for the year.
There is always a certain mystery about
whether or not the gun two-year-olds from
the previous season will come back and be
the best three-year-olds. Overreach from the
Waterhouse yard and Miracles of Life from
Adelaide are the two major winners from
last season, and both will be seen back at
the track very soon and both are generating
plenty of excitement.
Atlantic Jewel has already made a huge
return from a long term injury by winning
the Memsie Stakes. This mare is unbeaten
in her eight starts and has come back really
well and looks as big and as fit as ever.
Then there is It’s A Dundeel. This four
time Group One winner is at the top of the
Cox Plate market and a definite Melbourne
Cup fancy. Only Makybe Diva, Saintly,
Nightmarch, Phar Lap and Rising Fast have
ever won the
Cox Plate and the
Melbourne Cup in
the same year.
It’s A Dundeel,
like Fiorente and
Puissance de Lune
and all the other
horses nominated
for these races
certainly have a
big job ahead of
them if history is
anything to go by.
There are dozens
of other horses,
many of whom
are Group One
winners that are
fast getting fit and
waiting to start
their spring campaigns. Glencadam
Gold, Carlton
house, Shoot Out,
Super Cool, Commanding Jewel, Green
Moon and Happy Trails are all in work and
getting fitter each day. These are just a few of
the known horses that will excite the masses
come the spring.
There may yet be a horse pop up that no
one knows anything about that will take
all before it like Savabeel did in 2004 or So
You Think did in 2009. It is indeed a very
exciting time of year.
Tommy Berry is back from Hong Kong
and riding winners galore, while Glen Boss
has had a minor operation on his knee but
is back, and already in-form. Damien Oliver
will be back before we know it, while Nash
Rawiller and Hugh Bowman are coming off
a great premiership battle. Jim Cassidy is as
hungry as ever and last year’s Melbourne
Cup quinella jockeys Brett Prebble (Hong
Kong) and James McDonald (New Zealand)
are both on Australian shores.
The jockeys are ready, the horses are
getting fit and the races are getting richer.
Spring is coming and we cannot wait.
PERFORMANCE OF THE MONTH
The Great snowman
By ZEB ARMSTRONG
T
he winner of the coveted ‘Performance
of the Month’ award for this issue
of Gai’s Gazette is The Great Snowman
(Brilliance x Penelope Pitstop) after the stable favourite strung together two great wins
and a second after looking to be completely
out of form. The Great Snowman, named
after the Bob Luman song of the same name,
was completely out of form after returning
from a spell; there is no other way to say it.
The gelding had run a ninth, then a fourth
then a tenth. Then all of a sudden on a heavy
9 track at Warwick Farm, Nash Rawiller
found the best ground aboard the gelding
and steered him to a tremendous win. The
Great Snowman was wide early, then
found the lead, then was wide again. To the
untrained eye it looked as if Nash was sitting
out four wide for no real reason, but really
he was just making use of the best ground.
It was a great ride and a credit to both horse
and jockey. The Great Snowman did his best
by galloping beautifully and Nash played his
part by navigating onto the best part of the
track. The result was a one length win, but
more importantly it was a big confidence
boosting win for The Great Snowman.
In the second verse of the Bob Luman song
The Great Snowman the rockabilly singer
states that Jimmy aka The Great Snowman,
‘had good looks and a big fine car. He went
around breaking all the girlie’s hearts.’
“He gave everything he had
and again he did everyone
proud. That‘will to win’ is
just so special.....”
The equine version of The Great Snowman
certainly shares Jimmy’s good looks and he
definitely has an engine like a big fine car. As
for breaking the hearts of the girls, well this
is exactly what The Great Snowman did in
his second win; this time Randwick was the
venue and the win marked four in a row for
Nash Rawiller on the day and gave Gai an
early double on her way to four for the day
also.
Yes the field that The Great Snowman beat
this day was half mares and half males, so
there were definitely some girls left with
broken hearts after the race. Despite looking
beaten in the straight, The Great Snowman
found more in the final furlong to come back
and win. He did not just break the hearts
of the fillies in the field but of the geldings
as well. He was beaten. He had done all the
hard work, the field had swamped him and
he was gone. Nash would have been forgiven had he decided to accept his fate and
glide his mount to the finish line for a nice
well fought fourth or fifth. But no - Nash
was going for four winners in a row and he
somehow got The Great Snowman to dig
deep, perhaps deeper than the gelding ever
had before, and they got off the canvas as a
team to regain the lead and win.
The Great Snowman is an example of a
horse that any trainer would be happy to
train and any owner would be happy to
own. He gives his best on any track surface
over any distance at any venue. At the time
of print, The Great Snowman had just been
beaten by half an inch in a good race at
Randwick to run a brilliant second place
after having a wide run from a bad barrier.
Again, the gelding could have wilted but
instead he gave everything he had and again
he did everyone proud. That ‘will to win’ is
just so special.
Mark Newnham, Nash Rawiller, Motto Hosoya and Greg Kolivos with The Great Snowman
15
The Private Track Debate
By rob waterhouse
As TJ said,“many rich people have put fortunes into private facilities and have stocked
them with expensive animals which have under performed.....”
I
concede this piece is an unashamed
advertorial for my dear wife, Gai, but I
say: private training tracks are a myth.
Most people would reject that notion. They
see the argument in these terms: ‘Horses are
naturally paddock dwellers, city tracks and
stables must be bad; country, private tracks
must be good’. It is almost ‘motherhoodish!’
As A. B. Patterson summed up our innate
love of the bush when he wrote:
And the bush hath friends to meet him, and
their kindly voices greet him
In the murmur of the breezes and the river
on its bars,
And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit
plains extended,
And at night the wondrous glory of the
everlasting stars.
Private tracks would appear to have lots of
advantages, like being able to train all day, no
pressure, everything as a trainer would want
it, etc. Moreover, private training is totally
the norm in Europe in general and England
in particular. Works well there.
I remember putting the ‘private track
argument’ to Gai’s dad, Tommy Smith, 35
years ago. It seemed self-evident to me
then. Tommy dismissed me very smartly:
“They’re all failures. They pour fortunes
into them. All do no good.” The champion
trainer added: “I chose 16 Bowral Street,
not just because Phar Lap had been stabled
there, but because the stable is beside a noisy
school, with bells ringing and kids shouting.
Good for racehorses. Prepares them for race
day.” He won a few premierships. And had
extraordinary wisdom.
But how a respected advisor sees it
The private training track argument was
succinctly put recently by a respected
bloodstock agent writing to Gai, explaining
his decision to send two well-bred fillies to
a private training track, saying in part: “‘kindergarten-to-covering’ system, which offers
an idyllic breaking, training and spelling
environment that obviates the necessity
(and associated risks) of intermittent travel
between and adaptation to new properties.”
One was a tautly-strung sales filly who did
16
little bits of - and constantly threatened to do
more - damage to herself in her sales stable
and in the scoping box. I’m pleased to report,
having seen her only a fortnight ago, that she
is a different filly entirely, who has settled
into her environment, does her work calmly
and cooperatively in those idyllic training
surroundings and enjoys her daily sessions
out of her box in a paddock.
As TJ said, many rich people have put fortunes into private facilities and have stocked
them with expensive animals which have
under performed (an arguable exception is
Lloyd Williams’ training complex – a total
passion for Mr. Williams). Additionally, all
the major stallion stations support, own or
are building private tracks. Remarkable. And
confounding. Especially as the studs are so
‘two-year-old-centric’.
The test
The question is easy to settle. You just need
the statistics! I think there are three main
parameters to examine:
·
Prize money, and better, average prize money per runner
·
Median class
·
The win or loss from backing them
In figure 1.0 I’ve chosen the seven most
prominent ‘private track’ trainers in
blue, and the four most prominent ‘ublic
racecourse’ trainers. I’ve only named the
rarely-seen Robert Hickmott (who trains
privately for Mr. Williams) and Gai. A clear
victory, ignoring the shy Robert Hickmott,
for the public track trainers. The median
average prize money is more than double.
FIGURE 1.0 Represents the last five years and“runner” is for one year.
TRAINER
STATE
RUNNERS
PRIZE MONEY
AVE PRIZE MONEY
1. Robert Hickmott
2. PRIVATE
3. PRIVATE
4. PRIVATE
5. PRIVATE
6. PRIVATE
7. PRIVATE
8. Gai Waterhouse
9. PUBLIC
10. PUBLIC
11. PUBLIC
VIC
VIC
VIC
SA
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
NSW/VIC
756
356
517
988
6,445
1,101
582
3,376
4,652
5,191
6,261
$ 15,043,020
$ 2,215,000
$ 1,685,978
$ 5,170,849
$ 31,657,002
$ 6,443,285
$ 677,965
$ 56,732,413
$ 55,432,766
$ 51,015,690
$ 63,763,267
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
19,898
6,222
3,261
5,234
4,912
5,852
1,165
16,805
11,916
9,828
10,184
FIGURE 1.1 Represents two-year-olds over the last five years,“runner” is for one year.
TRAINER
STATE
RUNNERS
RUNNERS
PRIZE MONEY
AVE PRIZE
MONEY
1. PRIVATE
2. PRIVATE
3. PRIVATE
4. PRIVATE
5. PRIVATE
6. PRIVATE
7. PRIVATE
8. Gai Waterhouse
9. PUBLIC
10. PUBLIC
11. PUBLIC
VIC
VIC
VIC
SA
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
NSW/VIC
756
356
517
988
6,445
1,101
582
3,376
4,652
5,191
6,261
43
15
34
131
880
99
25
493
495
340
879
$ 109,863
$ 24,765
$ 59,225
$ 1,065,525
$ 5,307,982
$ 962,390
$ 224,867
$ 14,376,253
$ 5,766,702
$ 3,011,220
$ 12,798,668
$ 2,555
$ 1,651
$ 1,742
$ 8,134
$ 6,032
$ 9,721
$ 8,995
$ 29,161
$ 11,650
$ 8,857
$ 14,560
Two-year-olds are much better at
public tracks
Two-year-old racing is the dominant part of
racing. It is where the money is: on the track
and in the breeding barn. You only have to
look at the Gai-made stallions, such as Pierro
etc., to realise – that’s where the money is. A
deafening victory for public trainers with
two-year-olds ( Figure 1.1). My median class
ratings, over five years, tell the same story
(Figure 1.2). The pattern is clear. (It should
be explained, two-year-olds [and three-yearolds], not adjusted for weight-for-age in the
table, bring class up quite a bit – Gai’s figures
are better than they look).
Punters should care (but get it wrong)
Now look at the betting, over five years.
Figure 1.3 measures perception. (Gai’s popularity doesn’t help, it depresses her prices).
Again, there is a clear victory to public trainers
and an ‘annihilation’ with the babies.
Value of stock
It might be said: “Gai has Ferraris, private
trainers get the Minnie Minors.” It is not quite
true. Figure 1.4 shows the average yearling
costs of horses in training with the same trainers, over the same five years. These figures
are not perfect, one of the private trainers has
most of his stock from overseas at high prices.
But the figures show, city trainers’ stock is not
much different to the private track trainers.
“But he’s come good, now”
Some might say: “Oh, so and so has got it
right now. It will be different from now on.”
My most-recent three month figures show no
evidence of any up-swing.
The Past
In the past, there are many private track
trainers who have under performed. Just
a few years ago, a Hall-of-Fame Victorian
trainer moved to his private track and failed.
His brother took over but that was back at
Caulfield. Similarly, about fifteen years ago,
the leading Queensland trainer went to his
own facilities with poor results, until he died
in 2009.
Why?
The fascinating question is why do private
track trainers under perform? Legendary
Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer, early this year
ordered all “remote” employees to revert
to working at Yahoo offices. “Stay-at-home”
workers were shocked to be told, contrary to
their firmly held beliefs, as a cohort, they just
weren’t as productive. Perhaps, it’s the same
with horses.
Prize
I’d be grateful if anyone can explain the
‘private track curse’? A good prize to the best
email helping me understand it!
Email me at rob@robwaterhouse.com
“Workers were shocked to be told, contrary to their firmly
held beliefs, as a cohort, they just weren’t as productive.
Perhaps, it’s the same with horses.....”
FIGURE 1.2 Represents two-year-olds over the last five years,“runner” is for one year.
TRAINER
STATE
MEDIAN CLASS RATING
1. PRIVATE
2. PRIVATE
3. PRIVATE
4. PRIVATE
5. PRIVATE
6. PRIVATE
7. PRIVATE
8. Gai Waterhouse
9. PUBLIC
10. PUBLIC
11. PUBLIC
VIC
VIC
VIC
SA
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
NSW/VIC
18
29
29
25
28
31
27
21
20
17
22
FIGURE 1.3 Represents the betting over five years
TRAINER
STATE
WIN/LOSS (ALLAGES)
WIN/LOSS (2YOS)
1. PRIVATE
2. PRIVATE
3. PRIVATE
4. PRIVATE
5. PRIVATE
6. PRIVATE
7. PRIVATE
8. Gai Waterhouse
9. PUBLIC
10. PUBLIC
11. PUBLIC
VIC
VIC
VIC
SA
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
NSW/VIC
-5%
-8%
-18%
-24%
-28%
-11%
-4%
-11%
-7%
-13%
-15%
-44%
-61%
-68%
-38%
-36%
-1%
-47%
-12%
-2%
-15%
-5%
FIGURE 1.4 Represents the average yearling costs.
TRAINER
STATE
COST
NUMBER
1. PRIVATE
2. PRIVATE
3. PRIVATE
4. PRIVATE
5. PRIVATE
6. PRIVATE
7. PRIVATE
8. Gai Waterhouse
9. PUBLIC
10. PUBLIC
11. PUBLIC
VIC
VIC
VIC
SA
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
VIC
NSW
NSW/VIC
$ 87,683
$ 116,036
$ 33,122
$ 68,480
$ 136,970
$ 183,682
$ 54,258
$ 170,489
$ 118,753
$ 156,456
$ 138,174
385
111
74
112
1106
210
185
547
666
461
317
Statistics from RacingandSports.com
17
Nash Rawiller on Romantic Touch
Future FORECASTS
By ZEB ARMSTRONG
R
omantic Touch (Northern Meteor
x Dearness) is back in work after a
brief lay off after winning the Group One
J.J. Atkins Stakes in Brisbane. This Group
One win made it three back to back victories
for the gelding. Over 1400m at Warwick
Farm while Gai was enjoying her first ever
Warrnambool jumps carnival, Romantic
Touch won by two lengths in an effortless
performance. The Gooree owned gelding
won this race on natural class, because really,
1400m is short of his best distance.
At his next start three weeks later at
Canterbury, Romantic Touch won a very
competitive race by 7.5 lengths and was
eased to the line. This race was over the
1550m and gave connections a big indication
that the gelding wanted more distance in his
18
races. Those who were at Canterbury that
day could have been forgiven for thinking
Romantic Touch’s close relation and fellow
Gooree owned gelding Desert War had
made a comeback. We all enjoyed Desert
War, on so many occasions, bounding
along out the front of the field then turning,
clicking into a higher gear and winning as he
pleased. Romantic Touch has a long way to
go to emulate his champion relation, but the
way he gallops indicates he is a big chance
for more Group One success. Romantic
Touch had never been to Brisbane before
he raced in the J.J. Atkins at Eagle Farm.
The horse that was considered his major
rival that day had already won the Sires’ in
Brisbane. However Romantic Touch got
out in front dug deep and won. There was
no fuss or drama in this Group One win. If
the horses behind were good enough they
certainly had every chance to get past him,
but he just kept giving and giving and never
really looked like being headed. This win
also marked Northern Meteor’s first Group
One winner as a sire. In fact Northern
Meteor sired the quinella in this race.
So what is next for this powerful gelding?
The Caulfield Guineas looks an ideal race
for him, but there are a multitude of options
for the newly turned three-year-olds in both
Sydney and Melbourne over the spring.
Romantic Touch was born to run. He is big,
strong and has plenty of heart. He is the
kind of horse that will make sure that if any
horse is to run past him, they would need to
be at their best.
THE OVERSEAS INFLUENCE
By James Harron
T
he walls are closing in. Horse racing is
no longer a sport that can be carried
out in the confines of any one country, but
is a global entity and those embracing this
will reap the greatest reward. This was evidenced in no greater way than by this year’s
Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom.
This colt was born and trained in America,
nothing new there, but his trainer is the very
English Graham Motion, while his rider, Joel
Rosario hails from the Dominican Republic.
His sire, Leroidesanimaux was bred, and
began his racing career in Brazil, before
becoming the Champion Turf Horse in
America in 2005. The final link comes back
to Australia, with Arrowfield Stud holding a major ownership interest in Animal
Kingdom, who will be an interesting addition to the Australian stallion ranks in 2013.
Emerging investment has been no more
conspicuous than that of the Qatar ruling
family, who have been flexing their financial
muscle to great effect over the past few years.
One of the early purchases was Melbourne
Cup winner Dunaden, and the global racing
and breeding industries owe this little gelding by Nicobar plenty. His success has got to
be a major factor in what has been the rapid
growth of a stable of horses for several members of the Qatari ruling family, with Group
One winners such as Lightning Pearl and
Toronado, and, like Toronado, big in-training
purchases such as this year’s French classic
winners Style Vendome and Treve bolstering their roster. It is to be hoped that their
investment continues to be rewarded by
the success it deserves. Outside investment
in bloodstock has been a big part of the
Australian racing and breeding business for
many years, the most traditional outlets of
B
P
James Harron
Hong Kong, South Africa and Macau are
as strong as ever, but only the complacent
will completely rely upon these markets in
the future. Currently, the eyes of the world
are on China, which remains the biggest
unchartered frontier when it comes to horse
racing and breeding. China now boasts
the second-largest economy in the entire
world behind the United States, and with
economic growth rates averaging around ten
percent over the past thirty years, there are a
huge number of wealthy people increasingly
looking to spend their time on luxury leisure
activities. The purchase of Eliza Park by the
Sun International Group sends out a strong
message that China is going to become a
huge force in the racing and breeding world,
further evidenced by their spectacular
The best way to commemorate your win
Simply register your details and start purchasing online at www.bradleyphotos.com.au
unveiling of Eliza Park International earlier
this month. China and Qatar are not the only
countries stepping up their involvement in
horse racing. At the Tattersall’s Horses in
Training sale last year, the biggest of its kind,
horses were sold to over thirty different
countries, from the traditional venues
such as Australia, America and Hong Kong,
to more obscure localities such as Libya,
Kazakhstan and Russia. The Melbourne Cup
is becoming testament to this increasing
globalization of horse racing, and is a trend
to be embraced, as the more people that
understand and love our amazing sport, the
better, even if it does mean it is harder to
win! The walls may be closing in, but the
time has come to respond by knocking them
down.
Contact us on:
(02) 4868 1433
(02) 4868 3794
PO Box 18, Moss Vale
NSW 2577
19
INSTINCTION JOINS
Eliza Park International in Qld
by David Bay
T
HE sale of Eliza Park to the Hong Kongbased investment group Sun International
in late June is already paying dividends
for Queensland breeders with news that
talented sprinter Instinction (Exceed and
Excel-De Lago Mist by Encosta de Lago) has
joined the stud’s roster in the Sunshine State.
He will command a fee of $5500.
Instinction joins Love Conquers All and
Monashee Mountain (USA) on the Queensland
roster at the renamed Eliza Park International
and he is retiring with the news that his sire, a
dual Gr.1-wining sprinter by Danehill (USA),
is Australia’s Champion Sire by earnings or
2012-13. Instinction’s dam is by a dual
Champion Australian Sire in Encosta de Lago
(Fairy King (USA)) and won two races, both
Group events, the VRC Sires’ Produce-Gr.2 and
the SAJC Breeders’ Stakes-Gr.3, at two. She was
also third in the Moonee Valley Oaks ClassicGr.2 and fourth in the AJC Sires’ Produce-Gr.1
and Champagne Stakes-Gr.1. Instinction is the
only named foal of De Lago Mist, but she has
fillies by Fastnet Rock and Redoute’s Choice
and a colt by Redoute’s Choice waiting in
the wings.
De Lago Mist is out of the durable In The
Mist (Southern Appeal (USA)-Ceres Mist by
Plush (NZ)), whose 10 wins included four
Listed events in South Australia and she was
also runner-up at Gr.2 level. Her sister,
Southern Sprinter, is the dam of stakes winner
Fragmentation (Snippets), in turn dam of
Gr.1 winner Wanted (Fastnet Rock), the
Newmarket Handicap-Gr.1 winner who is
on the roster at Eliza Park International in
Victoria, and Gr.2 winner and Gr.1 placed
Shrapnel (Charge Forward), who retired to
Kooringal Stud, Wagga in 2012.
Newmarket Handicap-Gr.1 and Invitation
Stakes-Gr.1 winner Exceed and Excel (ex
Patrona (USA) by Lomond), a dual hemisphere
sire for Darley (fee $88,000), has left more than
600 winners (71SW) since retiring to stud
in 2004 and enjoyed a remarkable season in
2012-13 with 138 winners (17SW) of $11.08m
to mid-July to lead two other Danehill sons,
Fastnet Rock and Commands, by a comfortable
margin on the general sires’ list. He was
also Leading Sire of Two Year-Olds with
16 winners (27 wins) of $5.29m including
the Golden Slipper heroine Overreach and
runner-up Sidestep.
Trained by Mick Price, Instinction took five
runs to break his maiden, winning over 1479m
at Kyneton on October 18, 2011 after placing
second at his previous outing. He then stepped
straight into stakes company, beating Mahisara
and Amah Rock into the minors when winning
the VRC Hilton Hotels Stakes-LR (1400m,
1:24.75) next time out (November 5). Put
away until January 26, the speedy grey beat
Specter and Petman in the MRC Zeditave
Stakes-LR (1200m, 1:09.37). He dead-heated
for third with Highly Recomended behind
That’s The One and Decircles in the VRC C.S.
Hayes Stakes-Gr.3(1410m) on February 18 and
was tipped out after a mid-field run in the
AustralianGuineas-Group.1 behind Mosheen.
Instinction won again in October 2012 when
successful in the MRC Weekend Hussler S-LR
(1400m, 1:23.0) and had finished sixth of
Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Gr.1(1400m) behind
Moment of Change at his previous outing.
He was also third in the MRC Regal Roller
Stakes-LR, and retired with four wins, a second
and two thirds in 18 starts for earnings
of $274,160.
Trainer Mick Price called Instinction “an
exceptional type . . . a real bull and correct in
every way”, while Eliza Park International’s
sales and nominations managerMark Lindsay
described Instinction as “a terrific addition
to our lineup and the right type of horse for
Queensland”. Instinction has Northern Dancer
4m,4mx4m and his dam Natalma
5m,5f,5mx5m.
This is family 7d and this branch arrived in
NZ with the importation of Lady Wayward II
(GB) (Ladas-Vane by Orme) in the early 1900s.
Her dam is a sister to the English Triple Crown
winner and sire Flying Fox, and Lady
Wayward’s descendants in Australasia include
dual Derby winner Sovereign Red and his
Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup-winning
brother Gurner’s Lane (Sir Tristram),
Sydney Cup winner Arctic Symbol and
NZ Cup winner Calibrate.
Instinction’s fifth dam Encircle (Moondust
(GB)-Revolve by Solar Bear (GB)) is a halfsister to SAJC Derby winner Ralkon (Star of
Baroda (GB)) and is the dam of a flying
Queensland-based juvenile of the mid-1960s
called Memory’s Dream (Coronation Boy
(GB)), who won a C.E. McDougall Stakes and
also of smart SA juvenile Time Circle (Ragtime
(GB)), who won a Cinderella Stakes-LR,
Morphettville Plate-LR and Dequetteville
Stakes-LR and whose sister Racice is the fourth
dam of Instinction. ■
This article is reproduced by exclusive arrangement with
Bluebloods magazine
For more information visit bluebloods.com.au
Please note the statistical information was relevant at the time this article was first published
27
21
BEHIND THE SCENES
With jockey Thomas Huet
By MADISON WHANT
F
rench sensation Thomas Huet has been in Australia a short five months and
already he is making his mark in Australian racing with his first Stakes win for
his career here in Sydney at Rosehill Gardens.
W
hy did you come to Australia?
It was a long dream for me and
Maelle to come to Australia. Probably four
years ago, I met Paul Messara in Deauville
during the summer and asked him if I could
ride for him during the winter season. But,
just before the winter, I had some good
propositions and chose to stay in France.
It was a good choice in fact because I won
around fifteen races during a meeting in
the south of France, ending with the Grand
Prix! Last year, I won a couple of Group
races in France and rode in the French
Derby. In September, I had finally nothing
very exciting for the winter and Maelle and
I chatted together and the decision was very
quick after that.
Did you plan to come directly to Gai or
was that something that came later?
Not really straight to Gai, but during the first
two months I had high hopes of coming
straight to the best of the best or to at least
one of the best Australian trainers. I sent an
email to Gai and she invited Maelle and me
to come to work for her.
You have been here five months now, how
are you finding the differences between
European racing and Australian racing?
During this first five months I rode on
twelve or thirteen different tracks and I’m
very happy about the chance to ride on a
few different tracks! I am very happy about
this opportunity. A difference is probably
the right hand. In NSW you ride only on the
right turn. In France, every day you change
the turn, and sometimes you ride on a
straight track like Maison Laffitte. Australian
races are very quick generally. In Australia
we have a lot of races between 6f and 8f but
in France it’s more between 8f and 12f. And
the last real difference, in France we never
scratch the races because the track is too
22
heavy. But I prefer to ride on a good track.
You have a very good strike rate at the
minute in Sydney. How do you go about
maintaining this?
Yes, I have a very good strike rate and particularly with Gai’s horses. Working very hard
everyday is the only solution. I continue to
improve myself, ride correctly and get the
confidence around the trainers and the owners. I think for a good strike rate you need to
ride the good horses. Horses are the jockeys
not the opposite.
You recently experienced your first Stakes
win here in the Winter Stakes riding
Under the Sun. Have you been working
with Under the Sun for a while and was it
a good feeling to have that work come to
fruition?
The first Stakes winner is very important for
every jockey. I was very lucky to ride Under
The Sun in the Winter Stakes this year and
win with him. I would like to thank the
owner Mr Henderson and Gai for this big
opportunity. It was a great moment for me,
winning my first Stakes race after just 90
rides. It was fantastic! Under The Sun is very
nice and a brave soldier. I ride him probably
four times a week so it is a second satisfaction to obtain such a good result with him!
What other horses are coming up nicely
that you are very excited about riding in
the spring?
I recently won with Mr Jackman in a very
good style. I’m sure he can improve more
and will have a good chance during the
spring. Lots of horses at Tulloch Lodge
will be ready and probably hard to beat
during the spring, especially in Sydney and
Melbourne. Gai is the boss and she deals the
cards for the rides.
The team is big and Nash and Tommy ride
the first chances but I can assure you, if I
have the opportunity to ride a good race for
the team, the French jockey will be there to
win!
Have you ridden any of Gai’s European
imports at the stable?
I rode Carlton House during his last trial in
Randwick. It was an impressive win with a
real turn of foot like a lot of French horses.
He is probably one of the best soldiers
of the team for the up-coming Spring.
Michelangelo is an English horse and I’m
sure he has a lot of potential to do a great
job too.
Do you find any differences in the
European imports temperaments or performance compared to those raised from
yearlings at Gai’s stables?
The training method here is different
because the races are different. The horses
in Gai’s stable are very quiet and nice to ride.
Of all 140 horses in the stables, I think only
ten percent of them are difficult horses.
They are just difficult because they are
strong. In France you can ride a lot of very
difficult horses. Mostly they are strong and
not very cooperative.
How would you describe Gai? Is there a
European equivalent?
It’s impossible to compare Gai with any
other trainer! Gai is an incredible woman.
First she’s a real horse woman. She knows all
the horses and she understands the horses.
She has a huge sense of case and an incredible relational sense.
You have a very good record back in
France. Do you have any all-time favourites you rode?
My last good horse in France was Top Trip. I
won a Grade Two with him before finishing
“If I were to compare Gai with a French trainer, it would probably be Andre Fabre for
the results, the records and the regularity and Robert Collet for the exuberance!”
fifth in the Derby with him. I was very
happy for his trainer Francois Doumen and
his owner when he finished so close to third
in the Gold Cup at Ascot. I read the French
news every day and maybe my next champion can come from France. Melbourne
Cup? Why not?
Which trainer did you ride for before you
came to Australia, to Gai’s team?
I worked for a lot of good trainers in France.
My last season I worked for Mr Doumen. It
was very interesting to work with him. He
is a very respectable man who was the first
French trainer to win the Cheltenham Gold
Cup in England. He gave me a lot of opportunities and he was the first to push me to
travel and to try this Australian challenge.
I have also worked for Mikel Delzangle,
Dunaden’s trainer. I rode a lot of winners
for him. With him I was given the chance to
win for the Wildenstein stable, His Highness
the Aga Khan and many others.
Australian’s follow the racing industry
quite vigorously, is this the case in France?
What are the major industry differences?
Of course the betting is here like everywhere. The newspapers speak everyday
about the races like the rugby. In France we
also have some interviews just for the big
races like the Arc de Triomphe. In Australia
the races seem very much like a sport more
so than in France. The jockeys are mediated
a lot more here. In Australia I think the
people love this sport. I’m very happy when
I ride a winner and the people applaud just
for the show. This notion of racing as a sport
has disappeared a little in France.....
You have been described as having a very
bright future at Tulloch lodge, and Gai
herself has labelled you a real asset to her
stable. How does it feel to be recognized as
a rising contender among the likes of Nash
Rawiller and Tommy Berry?
I’m very happy to be accepted among the
jockeys and the team so quickly. It is never
easy to arrive as a challenger and still be
accepted.
All the people working for Gai were very
friendly with me straight away. I wake up
every morning with a big motivation for
improving the horses I ride and to gallop for
the team, for the owners and for Gai. When
Gai says to the people I am a real asset of
course I am very proud of myself to be so
highly congratulated.
I ride every morning with Nash
Rawiller, Tommy Berry, Neil Paine, Adam
Hyeronimus and all the jockeys who come
for the gallop and it is a real pleasure. I work
very hard to be given the chance to ride a
maximum number of winners.
I work hard to be a contender. In the sport
and in the races we have no friends. If you
want to have a name and win you need to
be the best. I work and I respect the people
around me, but on the track I’m a jockey and
a winner!
Do you plan to continue your racing career
in Australia if you can?
I’m very happy about my results from the
last five months. I begin the new season
to do better and hopefully find my place
amoung the Metropolitan jockeys.
I am currently preparing for my English
test for my visa. After, we will see what
happens but I definitely love this place and
will stay if I can.
Thomas Huet on Under the Sun
23
BEHIND THE SCENES
With stable manager MEL NORTON
By MADISON WHANT
H
ow did you come to be the senior
foreman at Desert War?
I have been with Gai for eleven years
now. I had worked with horses a long time
and come away with a lot of experience. I
already knew Gai through my father who
was a track supervisor at Randwick and this
was how I got in to racing. I worked with
John Size for four and a half years and was
lucky enough to be given opportunities to
travel interstate with his horses. So racing
definitely wasn’t new to me. I started at
Gai’s main stable working in all areas before
being moved to the far side where I ran my
own section of 16 horses. I spent a while
there and then was given the opportunity to
move to Tempest Morn as senior foreman
in charge of 29 horses. In this role I had a
lot of opportunities including trips away to
both the Brisbane and Melbourne carnivals.
A couple of years ago I moved to Desert War
as senior foreman and I haven’t looked back.
You have multiple roles working for Gai.
What are they?
I am lucky enough to have a job I really
enjoy; my roles include running Desert War
(managing 25 horses) and the important
job of the tie up stalls every morning. I am
responsible for getting all 140 horses out to
the middle. You have to be really on the ball
each morning and make sure riders are on
suitable horses. It is very important that all
horses are worked each morning, so if we
don’t operate well from our end the middle
is affected too. It is a big task and is made
much easier by my number one girl Georgie
Spencer. One of my most important specialties for Gai is concentrating on those horses
that need special attention. Gai sends all
horses that are losing condition and under
performing 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. I especially enjoy
24
“Horses are like people - they all have their own personality.
I find it quite easy to read them and it doesn’t take me long
to work out the friendly from the dangerous.....”
this part of my work as it gives me a great
sense of satisfaction when the horses start
to put on condition and perform well whilst
in my care. Sometimes it is frustrating when
I try everything and the horse doesn’t start
to improve but I enjoy the challenge and I
always find a way in the end.
Take us through a typical day for you from
the moment your alarm goes off?
My alarm usually goes off just before 2:00am.
I arrive at work around 2:15am where I
write up my board for the morning. I then
do the rounds with the nebulizer (puffer)
for those horses needing it and put four
horses on the walker. I walk around the yard
tying the horses up and remove their feed
bins to monitor which horses have eaten
and which haven’t. While I am doing this I
give their legs a quick check over to make
sure there are no significant cuts, swelling or
other abnormalities that need my attention.
I make up all the feed mixtures for the
morning then I go through and make sure all
hands are on deck. By this time it is 3:20am
and I text Gai to let her know I’m ready to
go with any changes before I ring all the
foreman to make sure everyone is OK with
staffing. I then go through the schedule with
my junior foreman Motto who is in charge
while I am at the stalls. I head to the stalls
at 3:50am and for the next three and a half
hours it’s all go getting all the horses out to
the middle and home. I usually finish around
7:45am and head back into Desert War and
see Motto. He informs me if there have been
any problems and then Leanne Begg the vet
lets me know if we had any sore horses and
how to treat them.
We come back at 11:45am. I put some
horses on the walker then do the feeds.
Afternoon feeds are extremely important as
I have to keep a close eye on what they eat
overnight and whether they are leaving it. I
also go to the new stable called Sugar Rush
Lodge and top up their feeds making sure
everything is in order. I swim a couple of
horses in the afternoon and make sure all
medical treatments have been tended to, for
example bandaging, clay, boils, sore mouths,
heels, feet etc. I always do a round ensuring
all horses are comfortable, fed and let go
before I leave.
You also strap at the races, any recent winners that were particularly special for you?
I love strapping at the races, I find it so
rewarding when I spend a lot of time caring
for a horse. I really enjoy presenting the
horses as best as I can and knowing that the
horse is going to the races as good as it can
look. My most recent winner was with Sugar
Rush who won a maiden at Newcastle. She
is one of my favourite horses so it was a real
thrill.
Do you have any favourites at Desert War?
I have a few - Sugar Rush, Carlton House
and Forever Loved are very special to me.
Stable favourites Overreach, The Great
Snowman and the old Boy Reuben Percival
all deserve a mention. We are a tight group
and all 25 horses are cared for as if they were
our own.
What about some of your all-time
favourites?
There are plenty of all time favourites,
Grand Armee, Desert War, Dance Hero and
more recently Pierro and More Joyous, none
of which resided at my stable but I had the
Mel Norton (centre) with Sugar Rush and admirers
pleasure of handling and working with all
of them.
Tulloch Lodge had a treble at Warwick
Farm early in July. Gai made a point of
singing your praises (along with John
Livingstone and Mark Newnham) in
regards to the success. How does it feel
to know you are so highly regarded by a
trainer as renowned as Gai?
I feel very privileged to be in the role and it
means a lot that she respects and appreciates
my work and most of all my opinion. I am
very fortunate to work so closely with Gai.
Gai obviously values your opinion and
knowledge. Can you describe an occasion
when your opinion has shone through and
produced a good result?
Gai does value my opinion and that means
a lot to me.
One time that springs to mind was a mare
I had in Brisbane for the carnival. She was
running well without winning and it was
nearing the end of the carnival. Gai was
going to bring her home and I told her she
had done too well to go home just yet. She
looked fantastic and she was jumping out
of her skin. Gai was away at the time and
listened to everything I had to say and put
her in the Ipswich Cup. She went on to win
by four lengths.
You work sometimes seven days a week.
Do you find even on your days off you like
to check up on everything?
I always find at some point I will call and
check up on everything but I try not to go to
the stables on my afternoon off. I’m always
around though and usually get a phone call.
Your work at the tie up stalls each morning
is important for Gai, you are not only
responsible for the flow of the morning
but you must also decide which riders are
suitable for which horses. Explain your
incredible ability to read the horses and
their temperaments despite having never
ridden them yourself.
Horses are like people they all have their
own personality. I find it quite easy to read
them and it doesn’t take me long to work out
the nasty, the friendly, the more dangerous
and the calm. I also rely quite strongly on the
feedback of the riders who are constantly
making me aware of the more difficult rides.
I think it is safe to say you have been
party to some very momentous occasions
throughout Gai’s racing history. Does the
whole team come together to celebrate the
victories?
Overreach winning the Golden Slipper this
year was fantastic! It was such a big thrill
for me and everyone. The team loves to get
together for the celebrations that Gai puts
on for us each year. We have a great team
of staff and whether it is a Group One or a
maiden, everyone enjoys each win.
25
BACK IN THE DAY
Tommy Smith
Grant Vandenberg with T.J. Smith
H
e has been called the Napoleon
of the racetrack, the Henry Ford
of horseracing, the king of the course.
Disgruntled punters have thought of other
titles for T.J. Smith MBE, but no-one can
deny that he is the most successful racehorse trainer that the world has known.
Smith is a winner, as are the many staunch
Smith followers who have invested hundreds of millions on horses from his Tulloch
Lodge stable. He has taken out the last 30
Australian metropolitan trainers’ premierships, trained 30 Derby winners throughout
the country and 4000 city winners, and
accumulated $25 million in prize money.
These are all world records. It is no longer
meaningful, then, to compare Tommy Smith
with other horse trainers. He is a cut above.
The media effort to comprehend Smith’s
incredible success has focused on his
uncanny instinct in the matter of horse flesh.
Often he has correctly predicted, on first
seeing a yearling frolicking in a paddock, that
he would turn the horse into a champion
thoroughbred. And no better example exists
of his ability as a trainer than Kingston
Town, the first horse ever to pass the million
dollar mark in prize money. The King was
so plain-looking that he was passed in after
failing to meet his reserve price as a yearling.
Born at Jembaicumbene, near Braidwood
in NSW, Smith was earning a man’s wage
at the age of 10 during the height of the
Depression. He’d do anything to make a
quid – trapping rabbits, driving bullock
asleep in class and was caned for it.
At age 11, when the teacher roused him
from a deep sleep to receive his usual punishment, Tommy decided he’d had enough.
He jumped out the window and on to his
horse, and never rode back that way again.
Now he goes to work in a Rolls Royce.
In 1937 Smith became apprenticed to a
trainer, Mack Sawyer. He’d always wanted
to be a jockey, but couldn’t ride for peanuts – although today he instructs the
best jockeys in the land on how to ride his
horses. He lasted two years as an apprentice
before breaking his leg in a heavy fall which
forced him to retire from riding. Forty-three
years later he carries the mark of that crash,
walking with a pronounced limp. Tommy
continued to work for Sawyer as a strapper
at Randwick, then went to Cootamundra
to help his boss’s father look after a small
team of horses. There he met up with an
unfashionable rogue of a horse named
Bragger. None of the horse breakers would
go anywhere near Bragger, who was allowed
to run wild in the hills. The challenge
became too great for Tommy. He eventually
ran the horse into a stockyard, lassooed him,
chocked him down and bolted him into
a stable. The horse had ability and Smith
knew it. He paid 100 pounds for Bragger
and twelve months later had him ready to
race. Tommy backed his pride and joy for a
substantial sum and watched him run 200
meters last. But Bragger went on to win
thirteen races and usher in the arrival of T.J.
“At age 11, when the teacher roused him from a deep sleep to
receive his usual punishment, Tommy decided he’d had enough.
He jumped out the window and on to his horse, and never rode
back that way again. Now he goes to work in a Rolls Royce.....”
teams, carting water and running bets for
the local SP bookie. All of which supplemented the family income but didn’t allow
much time for the performance of scholarly
duties. Tommy would help his father to
cart flour every morning and then ride the
16kms to school, by which time he was
always buggered. More often than not he fell
26
Smith, the trainer.
Today, anything Tommy Smith does is
surrounded by publicity. If he buys a new
car or moves house it makes headlines, and
even the purchase of a new hat will result in
a picture of Smith in the sports pages.
Of course many of his actions are genuine
news, as when he became the first man in
Australia to pay half a million dollars for a
horse, and the first to win $1 million prize
money in a season. When Penthouse sent
Grant Vandenberg to Tommy’s Point Piper
home for this interview, the trainer was in
hot pursuit of his third Melbourne Cup.
Vandenberg: By the time this interview is
printed the Melbourne Cup will be over, and
it will be interesting to see how accurate
your predictions are. Do you see yourself
bringing the Melbourne Cup back to Sydney
this year?
Smith: I have a great chance again this year
with my team racing the way it is at the
moment. Kingston Town is going great guns,
but naturally the Melbourne Cup is run in
Melbourne and he much prefers the Sydney
way of racing. But he’s had a long rest, has
matured a lot, and could be even more
suited down there.
Vandenberg: You won your first Melbourne
Cup in 1955 with Toporoa. Surprisingly, it
took you 26 years to win your second, last
year with Just A Dash. Was it frustrating to
wait so long to win another Melbourne Cup?
Smith: It’s a race I’ve never really concentrated on. I don’t just train a horse for one
race; I train horses as the races come along.
Last year was the only time I’ve really set a
horse to win the Cup, and that was Just A
Dash.
Vandenberg: How long before the race did
you set him to win it?
Smith: About seven months beforehand
he won the Adelaide Cup and I told his
owners then that I thought he was an ideal
Cup horse who could run the 3200 meters,
and I set him for the race. He bolted in – by
Jove, it was a smart win. He came back from
a spell and I sent him to Melbourne quite
early, because horses trained in Sydney take
a while to handle the different way of going
in Melbourne. Sometimes the tracks are
wet and they have to adapt to every possible
element.
Vandenberg: Although until last year you’d
never set a horse for the Cup, you’ve had
a stack of runners in the race. Were you
unlucky not to have won one in 26 years?
Smith: I think I should have won about five.
Tulloch should have won two, Redcraze was
a certainty beaten twice, and then there was
Gunsynd. He raced off the track all the way
and just got beaten.
Vandenberg: The 1957 Melbourne Cup
has always been a sore spot with racegoers.
Tulloch was the greatest horse of the decade,
but he did not start. Why?
Smith: His owner, Mr Haley, was an old
man and I guess he was influenced by the
press. At that time Tulloch was a public
idol, a three-year-old and the handicapper
gave him a huge weight. But also, the paper
tycoons Frank Packer and Ezra Norton
were big punters who played the CaulfieldMelbourne Cup doubles, and they didn’t
have Tulloch in the second leg. It kept on
coming out in the papers that three-yearolds shouldn’t run. He was unbeaten as a
three-year-old, he’d won the AJC and VRC
Derbies, the AJC and VRC Legers, the
Rosehill Guineas and the Caulfield Cup in an
Australian record time which still stands to
this day. But I was forced to scratch him.
Vandenberg: He’d have won?
Smith: He was a certainty.
Vandenberg: Since Kingston Town has been
under your training he’s done everything
asked of him. He has won $1,250,000 in
prize money, yet at his first start at Rosehill
he finished a very long last. What happened
after that?
Smith: He wouldn’t train as a stallion. I
couldn’t get him to gallop, he used to play
up, he’d run off the track, he wanted to do
everything wrong. But as soon as we gelded
him he turned
Vandenberg: When did you know he was
going to be a good horse?
Smith: The first day I started to gallop him
after he’d been spelled and came back as a
gelding.
Vandenberg: You started training in Sydney
in 1942. At that time you were a permit
trainer but it only took you 18 months to
become a number one trainer, and that was
the first of hundreds of records you’ve set.
Smith: Yes, that’s never happened in the
history of training in Australia, and I can’t
see it ever happening again.
Vandenberg: Is there one training record
that you’re particularly proud of?
Smith: I’ve won the last 30 Metropolitan
training premierships – not only in Sydney
but all over Australia – and that has given
me tremendous satisfaction.
Vandenberg: Ten years after you started
training in Sydney you won your first
premiership, and you’ve never looked like
losing it since. How long can you retain your
position as Australia’s number one trainer?
Gunsynd
“I’ll write you a check here and now, and
Smith: I’ll be cutting down a bit in future. I
I want you to deliver it to my Point Piper
won’t be having as many horses in my stable
because I won’t be buying as many yearlings, House.” He nearly fell over.
Vandenberg: Do owners ever try to tell
but I hope to be lucky enough in the future
you how a horse should be ridden, or what
to get the calibre of horse that I’ve had over
jockey they want?
the past 30 years.
Smith: No, I won’t tolerate it. I think in any
Vandenberg: Tom, you’re approaching 65...
business the man in charge should be left
Smith: I’m not 65.
alone, otherwise it won’t work.
Vandenberg: But that has been printed in
Vandenberg: Over the years you’ve been
the papers.
offered lucrative contracts to train in
Smith: Oh, bull! I was born in 1920.
England, the Continent and the States, yet
Vandenberg: Put it this way; you’re not
you’ve always turned them down...
getting any younger, you’re up at 4.00am
Smith: Yes, that’s right. The first offer was
every morning and straight into your office
from Aly Khan – it was a long, long time ago
mapping out morning track work, then off
– to train exclusively for him in France. Then
to the track to put your team through its
William Hill who owns all the betting shops
paces. Is it getting harder?
in England, made me a fantastic offer to go
Smith: Not at all. I thrive on it. It’s a pleathere and train for him. But the best was
sure to be able to get up and walk around
Randwick every morning. You’re not getting from Bull Hancock, the big bluegrass owner
from Kentucky. He made two trips out here
run over by cars or being pushed around by
and on the second asked me to go back with
people. If I wasn’t training racehorses, I’d be
him to look over his famous Claiborne Farm.
getting up and going for a walk somewhere.
He told me he was going to make me an
Vandenberg: So it’s as much enjoyment as it
offer I couldn’t refuse. He wanted me to be
is a business?
based in New York and to operate a team
Smith: Well, I wouldn’t know what to do if I
throughout America. He said he was going
wasn’t training. I don’t like golf or bowls and
to give me everything I wanted: cars for
besides, training racehorses gives me all the
myself and my wife, a residence, a private
exercise I want.
plane for me to go anywhere I desired, plus
Vandenberg: What sort of people buy
10% of all winnings – and the stakes were
racehorses?
high, even then over there – plus a set wage
Smith: The most surprising people buy
and a contract for five years.
horses. You’ve got to be very careful around
Vandenberg: Was that hard to turn down?
the sales ring. It’s hard to pick a buyer – like
Smith: Well, I went over there and after a
when I went to buy my Rolls Royce. I got
week I turned to Hancock and said I was
my secretary, Pauline, to drive me into town
going back to Australia. He said I couldn’t
and I walked into the showroom in my track
do it, but I’ve always had plenty of money
clobber. The salesman didn’t even want to
and I told him what a wonderful country
show me the car. I said, “I’ll take that one
Australia is.
there,” pointing to a maroon Roller. I said,
27
BACK IN THE DAY (cont)
Vandenberg: You’ve seen racing throughout
the world, even in places like Japan and
Russia. How does the set-up in Australia
compare?
Smith: It’s better here – much more
colourful. Not many other countries have
bookmakers. The racing public in Australia
are much better informed through the press
and the average Australian punter seems to
enjoy his racing more.
Vandenberg: Did you want to be a horse
trainer as a youngster?
Smith: Not at all. I always wanted to be a
jockey.
Vandenberg: You didn’t have much luck at
that?
Smith: No, I couldn’t ride. I failed as a jockey.
I tried to ride over the hurdles and finished
up breaking my leg.
Vandenberg: What happened then?
Smith: I bought a horse and my aim was to
make a quid with him, sell him, then buy a
business or two.
Vandenberg: What went wrong?
Smith: He was a horse called Bragger and
after he won a couple of races I thought I’d
stick to the training caper, especially after
some more quick successes came my way.
Vandenberg: Was your father much of an
influence on you when it came to training
horses?
Smith: No, he wasn’t at all. He died when I
was in my early teens.
Vandenberg: Was he associated at all with
horses?
Smith: Yes. We had draught horse teams
around the country. We used to cart wool
and timber, and there were plenty of horses
to educate.
Vandenberg: When did you realise you
were a good trainer?
Smith: I’ve always been a great studier, and
I went around the country as a youngster
working and observing the guys I thought
were the best. One was a freak trainer
named Dan Lewis. I used to go to the track
and watch him, then I decided I’d watch a
chap called Fred Cush. He was a champion
mentor of speed horses. In the meantime I
won a bit of money and went to Melbourne;
where I learned from old-time trainers like
Jack Holt. He was near the end of his career,
but a super trainer in his time. I took a job
with a bloke called Steve Murphy. It lasted
three weeks and I packed up and finished up
at Mordialloc in Victoria with old man Lou
Robertson, another genius of that era. But I
studied people before I had a go of it. I was
only about 17 at the time.
Vandenberg: Do you think that’s been one
of the T.J. Smith secrets: you have an eye for
things?
Smith: Yes, but I was very keen as well. Even
when I married my wife Valerie, I said I
wanted our honeymoon to coincide with
going around looking at these chaps training.
She told me we didn’t have the money, and
we didn’t, but in the first fifteen years we
went away every year through money I’d
won on the punt.
Vandenberg: You’ve always been a hard
worker. Is it harder to train a horse now than
when you started?
Smith: I don’t think so. I’ve always been able
to handle staff. I’m always very strict, but
people seem to like working for me.
Vandenberg: How many horses a year go
through the T.J. Smith factory?
Smith: In the last four years we’ve sold just
on 100 horses per year.
Vandenberg: How long do you persevere
with a horse who doesn’t comply with your
standards?
Smith: I’ll sell a two-year-old racehorse
who doesn’t measure up, and I don’t know
any other trainer who would do that. I can
always tell after a short time if they are going
to be any good or not.
Vandenberg: Has a horse ever slipped
through your fingers that you wish you’d
kept?
Smith: No.
Vandenberg: How many horses do you
own?
Smith: I don’t know. I’ve got an interest in
lots of horses.
Vandenberg: Has breeding been an important source of income?
Smith: It’s been a hobby with me. I’m a
dealer, I buy them and sell them. I’ve never
taken breeding really seriously and put my
time into it, because it would interfere with
training. It’s a big job to mix the two.
Vandenberg: But you have bred some good
horses haven’t you?
Smith: My word, I’ve bred some very good
horses. I’ve bred Derby winners, Oaks winners, Classic two-year-old winners.
Vandenberg: Which would be the best
horse you’ve bred?
Smith: Both Denise’s Joy and Imagele were
champions. They gave me a lot of pleasure
every time they won, particularly Denise’s
Joy. I’ve bred a lot of damn good horses who
have won big races.
Vandenberg: Do you ever bet?
Smith: I used to bet quite heavily, but I don’t
indulge now.
Vandenberg: What’s the biggest bet you’ve
laid?
Kingston Town
Be sure to read part two of this fascinating Q and A archival interview between Grant Vandenberg and Australian racing legend TJ Smith
in the next issue of Gai’s Gazette.
28
Gai and Richard discuss Spurtonic
Anne with Charity guests
Jackie, Andrew, Aaron, Mia, Eden and Megan with Fiorente
Lorraine, Lauren, Zara, Barry and Peter. Owners of
Star Thoroughbreds Kapnikon
Dan, Nick, Mel, Craig and Larry celebrate the win of Danas Best and Star thoroughbreds Mr Jackman
SUNDAY AT
THE STABLES
With Gary Beecroft
Swans fans Abbey, Julie, Matt and Andrew. Owners of
Star Thoroughbreds Eisenhower
John and Anne with Rain Drum

Gai`s Gazette - Gai Waterhouse

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