Springing in the Rain
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13TH EDITION / SEPTEMBER 2014 GAI’S GAZETTE Springing in the Rain... Cover title: Amanda Wood GAI’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lea Stracey GAZETTE CONTRIBUTORS Gai Waterhouse Rob Waterhouse s I write, the sky is grey and a Zeb Armstrong constant drizzle of rain waters the Lea Stracey gardens outside. Amanda Wood’s Madison Whant cover photo very appropriately re- Claudia Miller Afers to the almost biblical amount of rain that Petrea Vela Joe Callan has fallen over August. It is proof, however, that preparation of the horses at Gai Water- house Racing occurs come rain, hail or shine. GRAPHIC DESIGN & laYOUT Whilst there is nothing better than soaking rains for gardens, the rain is also falling on our Madison Whant racetracks, sometimes making race day results [email protected] somewhat unpredicatable. Nothing is ever perfect, and by the time you are reading this CHIEf photogrAPHER latest edition, perhaps the rain has stopped, but I do hope there is less of it during the Bradley Photographers coming Spring Carnival of racing…. www.bradleyphotos.com.au As Petrea Vela mentions in her article this month, the foaling has begun and the anticipation of the next champions to be born is being realized. A year hence, after we owners have purchased our yearlings, they have Editorial PhotogrAPHER to be named in order to be registered in the Australian Stud Book. This is where the fun Amanda Wood begins. Need for Steed Aus. There are two choices when naming a horse. One can choose a name randomly www.needforsteed.com.au because one likes it, or one can consider the sire and dam’s names and choose a name that refers to or connects with the mating. What’s in a name? You may well ask. The potency or effect of a name is very subjective. The name is in the imagination of the ADVertisers suggestor. When you share ownership of a horse, you might like the name “Fluffythe- wonderhorse”, whereas I might prefer “Tulloch”. Name choosing can certainly cause Coolmore Australia a conundrum, and can become all too hard if you’ll pardon the pun. At GWR, the only Taylors Real Estate Marcus Oldham fair outcome is to list the suggestions and then all parties vote on those suggestions and Bradley Photographers the most popular name amongst the owners wins. Maythehorsebewithyou (or was that Larneuk Stud force?) when selecting a name. My advice, especially for a male yearling is that one Round Table Racing should remember that that colt may one day become a stallion, and he deserves a name Buckles & Belts that sets him apart from the rest, a name that has gravitas, if you will. I had this con- versation with Gai the other day and whilst she agrees with me in theory, she pointed out that if your horse is a winner on the track, suddenly his/her name becomes the best ADVertising MaNAGER name in the world. Hmmmmm….. My response? Ric Chapman Ilovethiscity, as there is nothing more joyous than a winner under the sun, and I am [email protected] more than ready to dash for cash, raid my secret savings, buy the horse, and choisir the best name I can! PRINTERS In nomine equi Graphic Impressions Lea Stracey Editor-in-Chief 4 www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au Contents Ocean Park x Ruud van Slaats colt at Trelawney Stud Page 30 Pierro Page 18 PAGE 6 Sweet Idea: Performance of the Month... by Zeb Armstrong PAGES 8 - 9 From the Pen of the Lady Trainer PAGE 10 Final Offerings for 2014 Now Online... by Bruce Slade Sunday at the Stables PAGE 12 The Golden Rose... by Zeb Page 40 Armstrong PAGES 14 - 15 Jane Abercrombie - Girl Friday... by Lea Stracey PAGES 16 - 17 Better at a Dinner Party... by Rob Waterhouse PAGES 18 - 24 Where to Find Your Stallion... by Zeb Armstrong PAGE 26 Stakes Winning Prowess... by Zeb Armstrong PAGE 27 Might As Well Jump... by Zeb Armstrong PAGE 28 Where the Passion for Racing Begins - Larneuk Stud PAGE 29 Of Syndication and Spring... by Joe Callan PAGES 30 - 31 News From Across the Tasman... by Petrea Vela PAGE 32 Fiorente and Fighting Sun Settle in to Stud Life... from David Grant PAGE 33 Track Snaps... by Amanda Wood PAGES 34 - 35 Recent Winners PAGES 36 - 37 Two Exciting Young Personalities... by Claudia Miller PAGES 38 - 39 And from you... www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au 5 Sweet Idea Performance of the Month By Zeb Armstrong Photo by Lisa Grimm ll week in the press leading up with more racing, but so will Sweet Idea. girl. There are only two races in her career to the Group 2 Missile Stakes, After all, potentially her best run of her out- where she has not won or placed and both when asked, Tommy Berry standing career to date came in the 1500m these races were on very unsuitable tracks. was telling anyone who would Coolmore where she was beaten by an inch It is simply fantastic to see her back with a Alisten that his mount Sweet Idea would lead in what was a very deep Group 1 field. The vengeance, and already a winner. The future and take a power of beating. Tommy point- mare had competed in just one trial leading looks extremely bright for her. ed out that in the race there were stayers into Saturday’s race, and she clearly had the As you are reading this, Sweet Idea has looking for fitness, milers that were first up potential to tune up a little heading towards no doubt run again and with a bit of luck and only one or two horses that loved the she will continue her good form all the way 1200m. Tommy even publicly announced ”Sweet Idea has now down to Melbourne. As the spring horses how he believed the race would pan out and won just under $2 start to resume with a few more turning up what horses he expected to take him on in million and she has each week, Sweet Idea has been very close the lead. After the race was run and won, to her most impressive as we go to print. Tommy was proved right in everything he done this without win- She was working beautifully leading into said. The champion hoop even managed to ning a Group 1 race. Of the Missile Stakes and that good work has corner and pull his mount one or two horses well and truly continued in the weeks since. off the fence in order to find the absolute course that will be the Congratulations to all the owners of this perfect going. Tommy did everything right goal for the remainder wonderful mare. Mark Newnham men- and the mare did the rest. of this preparation...” tioned after the race that the mare will most Sweet Idea jumped nicely, was quickly likely be heading eventually to Melbourne pushed towards the lead and from here the her next run. She has always been a big and the Myer Classic on Derby Day. Gai daughter of Snitzel dictated the race. She girl and she maybe even have grown again has also said many times that the mare is bowled along beautifully in the lead and during her most recent spell. more than likely being set for the Group with the passing of each furlong it appeared Sweet Idea has now won just under $2 1 races in Melbourne. Well done also to more and more likely that Sweet Idea was million and, extraordinarily, she has done Tommy Berry on a perfect ride on this day going to be extremely hard to get past in this without winning a Group 1 race. Of at Randwick. Tommy was supremely confi- the home straight. When the whips were course that will be the goal for the remain- dent and indeed spoke openly about Sweet cracking in the final 300m, several WFA der of this preparation and it is also a real Idea’s chances and he certainly rode her stars had their chance to get past Sweet bonus that she has now proven she can not accordingly. All Tommy’s thoughts came Idea, but they all came up short. Yes these just mix it with the boys, but can beat them. to fruition and a great win was certainly horses will improve over more ground and There is not much else to say about this enjoyed by all. ▣ 6 www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au Gai and Rachel King in discussion at track work From the Pen of the Lady Trainer hy do horses who had little versatility. He managed to win in Australia not winning. You need to get their heads in success in England, often at distances between the mile and two miles the right place as it is around 10,500 miles became injured and were (1600m – 3200m), and he was also placed from Newmarket, England to Randwick, generally not achieving at 1400m. Sydney and the trip sure does take its toll Wwhat they could, invariably improve once So back to the main question… what is on both horse and human. they land Down Under? it about Australia that brings out the best in The beach inside Botany Bay is a great I was pondering this question with my the European horses? I have been thinking tool at my disposal. However, much like Gai’s Gazette main man, Zeb Armstrong. I about this for five years, and in that time I their human counterparts who arrived at discussed with young Zeb that it is equiv- have had quite a bit of success with the im- this very beach some 244 years ago, the alent to his surfing in Port Fairy.