Australia Day: Big day out for the Waterhouse & Bott team

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Deep Impact son wins the battle in the Australia Day Cup

The Listed Australia Day Cup gave racing fans at Warwick Farm a thrill with a battle down the straight between Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Newfoundland (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Kris Lees-trained Age Of Sail (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Ciaron Maher-trained Future History (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) was aiming at four Listed wins in succession, and he led the field into the straight but was swamped by Age Of Sail with Newfoundland chasing hard for jockey Tim Clark. Chris Waller’s Elliptical (Dundeel {NZ}) tracked in behind the pair, finishing a length back in third, overtaking Future History who faded to fourth.

It was a ding-dong battle up the straight with Newfoundland diving on the line to win by a nose.

“He's been a very honest horse for the stable and his connections and it's great to see him back in the winner's stall. His first up run (over 2000 metres) was short of his best and that was a month ago and he seems to do really well with his races spaced,” Bott said.

“When he gets up over ground and gets into the right races with the right conditions we pick our mark and today looked like a lovely target for him.”

Newfoundland becomes Deep Impact’s 209th stakes winner. A maiden winner in the UK from eight starts, he arrived in Australia in mid-2023. Newfoundland won two in succession in the spring of 2024, and has been consistent without winning since then. Last autumn he ran third in the Listed Moonee Valley Night Cup and second in the two mile G2 Adelaide Cup.

“The long term plan has been to get on that Adelaide Cup path again. He seems to have matured a bit this time around and he would look well placed in an Adelaide Cup once again from what we saw today.”

Sales info: Passed in at the 2023 Tattersalls July Horses In Training Sale, Newfoundland is now owned by Nick Williams and partners.

Pedigree notes: Newfoundland is the second foal and second stakes winner for G3 Cork Give Thanks Stakes winner Best In The World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Her first foal is the ill-fated Snowfall (Jpn) (Galileo {Ire}) who was crowned Champion 3YO Filly in Europe in 2021 after winning the G1 The Oaks, G1 Irish Oaks, and G1 Yorkshire Oaks. She died in a stable accident as an early 4-year-old.

Best In The World’s third foal is Alfred Munnings (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was three times Group 3 placed, while her current 4-year-old entire Rock Of Cashel (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is twice a winner and was fourth in the G2 Curragh Futurity Stakes at two. Her current 3-year-old King Of Sparta (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) placed last year at two. She was covered by Justify (USA) in 2025.

Best In The World is one of four stakes winners for G1 Lockinge Stakes and G1 Matron Stakes winner Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab {USA}), with the best of those four being G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe track record holder Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Treble for Waterhouse and Bott

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott celebrated a treble at Warwick Farm with Listed Australia Day Cup winner Newfoundland, debutant 3-year-old filly Oz Princess (Farnan), and Go Bloodstock-owned 3-year-old colt Lancelot Du Lac (Flying Artie). The pair of 3-year-olds have sensational pedigrees.

Lancelot Du Lac, who made it two wins from three starts, is the fourth foal of Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock), whose first three foals are Group 3 winner Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible), Group 3 winner Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar) and G1 Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon).

Oz Princess, who was retained by breeder Evergreen Stud after being passed in at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, flew home from mid-field to win her debut effort over 1100 metres by 1.3 lengths from Godolphin’s Chris Waller-trained Sphere (Bivouac) with the winner’s stablemate Farfetched (Farnan) in third.

“It’s not easy to win anywhere on debut, let alone here at a metro meeting with a bit of depth,” said Adrian Bott.

“She’s a well bred filly from an amazing family that just keeps producing winners and particularly the fillies. So this will give Dad and the family a nice kick along and they have another valuable filly on their hands.”

Pedigree notes: A half-sister to Listed winner Oz Empress (Exceed And Excel) and stakes placed Key (Exceed And Excel), Oz Princess is out of two-race winner Vanilla Princess (Lonhro). Her 2-year-old filly by Snitzel is unnamed and she had a filly foal by Ozzmosis this spring.

Vanilla Princess is a half-sister to dual Group 3 winner Argentia (Frankel {GB}) and G3 HKJC Premier Cup winner Thewizardofoz (Redoute’s Choice) with all three out of Champion 3YO Filly in New Zealand and four-time Group 1 winner Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago).

Brutal’s big day out

Brutal (NZ) enjoyed winners across two states with Ron Quinton-trained 3-year-old gelding Bryant wining in Sydney, and 3-year-old filly Judith’s Revenge making it two in a row at Wagga for trainer Tim Donnelly. Happy Wins won at Kilcoy in Queensland for Annabel and Rob Archibald at the 3-year-old filly’s first start at three.

Bryant, who was placed at two, was having his first start at three. “He’s a nice horse and he was strong late,” said jockey Josh Parr.

“He’s been a very casual horse, from the time I first stat on him until now, nothing has fazed him and that’s a great attribute and he’s in a stable that’s flying at the moment, so onwards and upwards.”

Sales info: A homebred for the Gall family. Yarraman Park will offer the yearling half-brother by Justify (USA) to Bryant at Inglis Classic as Lot 762.

Pedigree notes: Bryant is the fifth winner from as many to race for Divided House (I Am Invincible) who won five races in Singapore. Divided House’s five winners have won a total of 11 races. Her dam, Boston (Zoffany {USA}) won eight times, and the family traces to Listed Norway Oaks winner Alhayat (Ire) (Godswalk {USA}).

Brutal’s oldest crop are 4-year-olds and he has three stakes winners led by G1 Champagne Stakes winner Nepotism.