Gai’s formula for Slipper success

Cover image courtesy of Dynamic Syndications

With an unprecedented seven Golden Slipper trophies in the cabinet, Gai Waterhouse knows better than anyone what is required to win the world’s richest and most prestigious event for juveniles.

Throw in her pedigree - her father Tommy Smith won the race on six occasions - and it’s little wonder Waterhouse has dominated the Slipper since the turn of the century, something she is incredibly proud of.

“We have had great success over the years and they are all so special,” Waterhouse told TDN AusNZ.

“Pierro, Sebring, Dance Hero, Ha Ha… it’s not a bad roll call, is it?”

Waterhouse is staunch in her view that the Slipper is, not only one of the greatest races in Australia, but the world.

She explained: “It’s the richest race for 2-year-olds in the world, that says enough, doesn’t it?

“Everyone, and I mean everyone, wants to win it.

“It’s a stallion-making race, it’s proven itself over the years in finding the best colts and best fillies and they go on to be the best of the best.”

Waterhouse revealed she begins planning for Slipper glory from the moment she gets her hands on a yearling catalogue and heads out to conduct inspections.

“It’s the race I think about from the moment we purchase the yearlings… I think about one race and that’s the Golden Slipper and hopefully being able to take out the Triple Crown,” she said.

“They show up at an elite level early in their lives, like no other race.

“First of all, they need to be elite athletes; tough, strong, precocious 2-year-olds, and secondly, they need to have stamina, because it’s run like a 1400-metre race.

“And they’ve got to be sharp enough to be able to capture that opening if and when it presents itself.”

Sustained success

The Champion trainer first won the race in 2001 when the Danehill (USA) filly Ha Ha saluted under Jimmy Cassidy. For good measure, Excellerator (Marscay) and Red Hannigan (Dehere {USA}) made it a Waterhouse trifecta.

Ha Ha and Overreach (Exceed and Excel) are two fillies who have won the race for Waterhouse, with Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar) “the forgotten horse” in this year’s field, to be a hopeful third according to her co-trainer.

Gallery: Gai Waterhouse-trained winners of the Golden Slipper, Images courtesy of Sportpix

Arguably the best of Waterhouse’s septet of Slipper winners is the 2004 victor Dance Hero (Danzero), a gelding who went on to sweep the Sydney Triple Crown (Golden Slipper S., AJC Sires’ Produce S. and Champagne S.).

In 2008, Sebring handed Waterhouse her third triumph in the race, then Pierro made it four in 2012.

Overreach (Exceed And Excel) gave racing’s first lady a handful of Slipper triumphs when he was too good in 2013 and just two years later, Vancouver saw Waterhouse equal her famous father.

History was made in 2020 when speedy colt Farnan, who Waterhouse trained in partnership with Adrian Bott, made all under Hugh Bowman.

Waterhouse found it hard to pinpoint a favourite Slipper winner or memory when asked.

“Vancouver could have been anything; he went overseas as an immature horse and it was probably a bit too much for him. He was brilliant, he had blistering speed,” Waterhouse commented.

“Pierro had enormous strength.

“Ha Ha was like a big warhorse. You look at her going into the Slipper, she had more runs than any of them, because she was so big and strong.

“Dance Hero was probably the most brilliant of all of them and he beat some very good horses in his 2-year-old season.”

Worth noting is the fact Sebring and Pierro have become Group 1-producing sires, Overreach has a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter in Lofty Strike (Snitzel), Vancouver is a Group 2-producing stallion, while Farnan covered more than 180 mares in each of his first two seasons at Kia Ora Stud.

In search of number eight

The Waterhouse-Bott stable, which has been in sublime form this season, especially with their 2-year-olds, has two top hopes in this year’s Slipper and Gai claims “there’s not much between the two of them”.

Platinum Jubilee has been a model of consistency. After winning the G3 Gimcrack S. on debut, she has run second at her next three appearances and was narrowly beaten by Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) in the G2 Silver Slipper S. last start.

“The filly has had the perfect preparation. She won the Gimcrack from an unwinnable position, she then went on and ran in the Magic Millions, before running in the Silver Slipper,” Waterhouse remarked.

“She’s always been against the best and fought it out with them.

“She is no slouch and any horse that beats Platinum Jubilee will win the Slipper.”

Red Resistance (Russian Revolution), meanwhile, boasts two wins from three starts and was turned over when a short-priced favourite in the G2 Todman S. last time out.

“The colt is very brilliant, he only loomed on the scene this year, he didn’t have a spring preparation,” Waterhouse said.

“He’s got brilliant gate speed and that will hold him in good stead.”

Waterhouse recalled the time her father’s horse, Star Watch, was beaten by top Melbourne colt Zeditave in their final lead-up race to the Slipper.

“Star Watch went into the Todman a short-priced favourite and was beaten by Zeditave and everyone jumped on him,” Waterhouse explained.

“When push came to shove on Slipper Day, there was Star Watch, and he started at about 6/1 after being beaten in the Todman.”

A perfect match

To the surprise of some, Waterhouse and Bott joined forces in 2016.

Since that time, they have proved the doubters wrong, leading home many Group 1 winners, including Farnan in the 2020 Golden Slipper, and their ability to rejuvenate the ultra-talented, but injury-plagued miler Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) has been quite remarkable.

Waterhouse was effusive in her praise of Bott, saying his style and skill set complements hers perfectly.

“We get on very well and have great respect for each other, which I think is essential in any relationship,” said Waterhouse.

“I shoot from the hip and have got the experience, he is very measured and thinks things through very thoroughly; I always think he has the right answer.”