GAI’S GAZETTE8TH EDITION/APRIL 2014 Photo by Mark Gatt “You only need to win by a nose.....” GAI’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lea Stracey CONTRIBUTORS GAZETTE Gai Waterhouse Rob Waterhouse Zeb Armstrong id you recognise our two “models” Lea Stracey on the front cover? Yes, Glencad- Madison Whant am Gold and Valediction were Emma Pearce caught discussing strategy at Gai’s MelbourneD stables. Both boys have moved on Ric Chapman from flat racing and are very much enjoying their new lease of life over the jumps by all reports. GRAPHIC DESIGN & laYOUT Warrnambool is calling… At the time of writing this editorial, undoubt- Madison Whant edly the richest two year old race in the world is barely two weeks away. Right on cue, the wet CHIEf photogrAPHER weather that seems to frequently plague Golden Slipper Day has already started. With any luck it Bradley Photographers will have all blown away for this year come race day. Only time will tell. In the past few weeks, www.bradleyphotos.com.au some of the favourite winning chances of the Slipper have been withdrawn from the race Editorial PhotogrAPHER due to various reasons and even now, the face of the race could still change. This phenomena Need for Steed Aus. made me think about the concepts of “luck” and www.needforsteed.com.au “chance” and their randomness. When faced with the reality of a win in a major race (or any race for that matter), luck plays a major part. Trainers and their staff work hard with long hours and much patience preparing ADVertisers our horses for their races to get them “cherry ripe” for their big days. That doesn’t necessarily mean that everything goes according to plan. It is all in the lap of the gods, or it’s fate, or luck Inglis or chance once the starter climbs his ladder. The end result? One can appear a complete mad Round Table Racing person jumping up and down and screaming and crying (with elation) kissing people on either North Star Cruises side or slapping them on the back or ‘high fiving’ them at the spectacle of one’s horse crossing James Harron Bloodstock the line first, or one can be disappointed,composed and subdued,at the sight of one’s horse Ranvet not crossing the line first. Highs and lows, expectations and disappointments. Many of us have Emirates Park Stud experienced all these emotions at the races. I’m sure you will agree that one needs very broad Auldy’s shoulders for this racing game. It is the dream, the adrenalin rush, the excitement and the thrill Doncaster Hotel that keeps us coming back – the journey of shared experience in which we all connect. Indeed, Markey Saddlery it is this tantalization of luck that is so delicious which keeps us coming back to fight another Bob Guth day. This month, as well as reading our thoughts from Gai, you may read of more personalities in and around Tulloch Lodge and the ATC. Zeb Armstrong tempts us to travel to Queensland for ADVertising MaNAGER the “Doomben Double”, and more. The anticipation of the ATC Autumn Carnival is mounting with the Golden Slipper and The Championship Race Days – definitely tantalizing, definitely Ric Chapman exciting. I for one am definitely planning to spend the next month of Saturdays at the races, [email protected] indulging in the passion of the Horse and Racing. May we all be jumping up and down, screaming for joy in the Winner’s Circle. PRINTERS Lea Stracey Editor-In-Chief Graphic Impressions 4 www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au Contents Page 24 Page 10 Page 4 Page 6 Performance of the Month: Valediction... By Zeb Armstrong Pages 8-9 From the Pen of the Lady Trainer Page 40 Pages 10-14 Nevesh Ramdhani... By Zeb Armstrong Pages 16-17 The Elusive Doomben Double... By Zeb Armstrong Pages 18-19 Restless by Name, Content by Nature.... By Ric Chapman Pages 20-21 Behind the Scenes with Debbie Winter... Interview by Emma Pearce Pages 22-23 Distance Racing.... By Rob Waterhouse Pages 24-25 Lynell Peck - Another Side of Racing... Interview by Madison Whant Pages 26-28 Gai Loves Brisbane... By Zeb Armstrong Pages 30-31 Kane Simpson - Farrier to Champions... By Lea Stracey Pages 32-33 Staying Prowess... By Zeb Armstrong Pages 34-35 Logans - 50 Years of Trust... By Lea Stracey Page 36 Racehorse Insurance - Short and Simple Pages 38-39 Recent Winners Pages 40-41 Speedy Without a Single Doubt... By Bruce Slade and David Rorison Page 32 Page 42 BOBS Extra Scheme to Pay Broodmare Owners... By Ric Chapman www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au 5 Performance of the Month Valediction By Zeb Armstrong f anyone was in any denial that trial but it is clear that Valediction loves a perfect rhythm during his races. Perfect staying type horses love jumping, jumping. rhythm builds momentum and thus allows a then Valediction (Zabeel x Madam So how does this prove that jumping horse to be off and gone after straightening Valeta) is here to remind us just can spark up a flat horse that was indeed with plenty left to give when the whips are whatI a bit of jumping can do for a horse enduring a bit of a ‘flat’ spell in their cracking. that was not doing much on the flat. Vale- careers? Well to keep Valediction’s mind on Occasionally jumpers that are heading diction, a former Kiwi by Zabeel arrived the job, Gai sent him to a 2040m flat race at towards Warrnambool run well in high at Tulloch Lodge early in 2013. First up Moonee Valley. This is the same track and weight handicaps or place in 3000m races. Down Under he won in terrific fashion at trip as the Cox Plate and that race is a long They rarely win good quality Metropolitan Hawkesbury. From here however, despite way from a jumps race at ‘the ‘Bool’. ten furlong races. Well Valediction did and running well on several occasions, Valedic- However Valediction took it all in his as abovementioned his experiences over tion stalled as a flat horse. the jumps really have He was probably never switched this gelding going to win a Group race back on. This was the best on the flat and as such win of his career and it he was sent for a holiday occurred after an intro- down to Eric Musgrove’s duction to the jumps. place in Victoria and set Case closed. for two trials over the There were two 2040m jumps in preparation for races on this particular the Warrnambool Carni- night at Moonee Valley val. The gelding’s first and Gai won them both. ever trial over the jumps What is interesting is that happened at Camperdown Valediction, the jumper, in south west Victoria won his 2040m race in and he won like a horse the time of 2 minutes that was born to jump. He 5.73 seconds. Pheidon, thoroughly enjoyed the the gelding that won the experience of the jumps Above: Valediction winning at Moonee Valley Group Two Alister Clark and he flew over each and every obstacle stride and he bolted in by two lengths under later in the night over 2040m won in a time with the greatest of ease with Arron Lynch the guidance of young Chad Schofield. He of 2 minutes 6.69 seconds. Valediction, the aboard. Two weeks later, the son of Zabeel led from start to finish and was ridden per- jumper, covered the 2040m a full second went to the iconic Warrnambool circuit for fectly. Chad allowed the gelding to balance quicker than the horses in the three-year-old another hurdle trial and this was a perfect throughout the ten furlongs and the young Group Two over the same trip on the same chance for him to see the track that he will hoop never once broke his mount’s momen- card. Remarkable! be competing at just nine days after the end tum. Balance and momentum have been The jumps trials and the grand perfor- of The Championships in Sydney. Arron important qualities a bowling front runner mance at Moonee Valley especially are Lynch was again aboard and in this trial, has needed to possess since the time of more than enough to earn Valediction the Valediction improved significantly and he Ajax. Valediction has a very well balanced Performance of the Month award. See you strolled in by four lengths. It was only a and efficient stride and he can settle into in the winners circle at Warrnambool. ▣ 6 www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au From the Pen of the Lady Trainer Gai, George Altomonte and Tommy Berry with the 2013 Golden Slipper trophy Photo by Lisa Grimm by Photo s I put pen to paper for my become synonymous with each other, as 2001. She was a magnificent daughter of column, the Golden Slipper the Slipper and T.J. were in the past. As Danehill; in fact she was part of Danehill’s is about to be run and won. above-mentioned, I have five Slippers last crop. She was an expensive filly from I have won five Slippers already and as you are reading this I might the 2000 Magic Millions sales at $300,000 in theA past including the last two, a feat of just have won six. The striking colt and and she was drop dead gorgeous. The filly which I am really proud. The Melbourne Breeders’ Plate winner Law (Denman x started her meteoric rise to fame several Cup is the race that everyone wants to win.