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Gai & Adrian TV 17th July

Playing By The Rules

Emma Reeves usually identifies the stable's best-placed runner each weekend. This week, she takes us behind the scenes to explain the planning that goes into preparing our horses for race day.Bit long but I had to go rogue with the options on offer this week…With some of our stable stars stepping out at the trials for the first time this preparation, I thought I'd turn this piece on its head and give you some insight into the planning that goes into getting them there. They were originally due to trial today but, after the rain, they've been pushed back until Monday. It's another reminder that no matter how carefully we plan, horses and Mother Nature always have the final say.Every horse in the stable has a long-term plan. As soon as one heads to the paddock, we're already discussing where we'd like to see it in three to six months' time, whether that's winning a maiden, targeting a Stakes race or building towards a major carnival. We then work backwards, mapping out spelling, pre-training, trial dates and race targets. That plan is constantly reviewed as the horse progresses and refined based on everything from weather conditions to how they're progressing physically and mentally. It's a far more dynamic process than many people realise. Our long-term objectives rarely change, but the route we take to achieve them is continually refined to give each horse the best opportunity to succeed.The horses stepping out on Monday are the product of months of planning and, while not every plan unfolds perfectly, there's nothing more satisfying than watching a carefully planned preparation come together on race day.Monday's intriguing line-up includes:• Fully Lit – The revelation of last preparation. After a setback, we've deliberately spaced his trials to have him ready for the Missile Stakes first up• Campaldino – A genuine Spring Carnival staying star whose path towards the Chelmsford Stakes first up and, hopefully, the Caulfield Cup remains on track• Albany Road – Originally earmarked as a winter horse, but as he's progressed through the grades, he's shown he’s even more effective on firmer tracks. This mid preparation trial allows us to have him ready to strike when conditions improve.• The Euphrates – A horse we've viewed as a star staying prospect since purchasing him more than a year ago. Only bad luck has interrupted this vision, so keep an eye out for this Melbourne Cup hopeful.• Agrarian Girl – A Stakes-winning filly who resumes in the Princess Series before we decide whether to head south for the sprints or stay in Sydney and stretch her out in trip.• Shiki – Another exciting filly, but an out-and-out speedster whose profile suggests Melbourne could be the ideal fit.

Gai's Tip Sheet

SATURDAY 18th JULY - GOSFORDRail Position: TrueCOBRA CLUB, Race 6, 1200m, 3.50pm, J Newman (2kg), 60kgCobra Club is delighting us ahead of his return. His two trials have been encouraging so they’ve given him the right fitness grounding, and he’s ready to rock and roll here. He won his maiden impressively over a mile in the spring so 1200 metres is very much a starting point for him, and we don’t expect him to be hitting his straps until he gets out over slightly further as his preparation progresses. With that said, he’s starting off at a winnable level and Jett takes a valuable 2kg off his back, so she will be positive from barrier 2 to try and get him rolling along in a prominent position on or close to the speed. Gosford’s a tight track which combined with this distance being short of his best might not entirely suit him, but with that said this isn’t the strongest race as all bar Johnny are rated below 60. His Foreman reports that he’s thriving in the stable so he couldn’t be in better order, and we expect to see him hitting the line strongly to get his campaign off to an encouraging start.SUNDAY 19th JULY - HAWKESBURYRail Position: TrueRUSKANA, Race 4, 2000m, 1.51pm, R King, 55kgRuskana bounced back and ran a very brave race to finish second at this track last time. He’s improving each time he steps out and we can’t fault him at home, so he comes into this at the top of his game. He’s stretching out to 2000 metres for the first time but his dam won over 2140 metres, so whilst his sire is a speed influence there’s stamina on the dam’s side and we’re confident he’ll see it out. The track is currently rated a soft 6 but it doesn't take much rain for Hawkesbury to be called off so today we nominated him for Wyong on Thursday as a plan B should Sunday not go ahead. Rachel will let him travel where he’s comfortable from barrier 9 and whilst taking on some previous winners isn’t easy to do, we hope he can rise to the challenge and feature in the finish once more.

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Stable Spotlight

RSVP: Yearling Parade At Evergreen Stud - Sunday 22nd February

It is a pleasure to invite you to the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing Annual Yearling Parade, hosted at the beautiful Evergreen Stud on Sunday, February 22nd. Kicking off at 11:30 AM, the event offers an exclusive first look at our latest crop of athletes as they showcase the quality and potential we are so excited to bring to Tulloch Lodge this season.

This parade has become a proven "must-attend" event for unearthing top-class talent. Over the last two years, this very path has been trodden by future stars including:

  • CLASS OF 2025: Shiki (Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes and Aquis Gold Pearl winner), Miss Chanel (2nd Group 3 Widden Stakes), By Choice (winner on debut and 3rd in Magic Millions 2YO Classic)
  • CLASS OF 2024: Storm Boy (Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner and now sire at Coolmore Stud), Shangri La Express (Golden Gift winner), and King Kirk (Group 3 Breeders' Plate winner)

Following the parade, please join us for a relaxed lunch at the iconic Saddles at Mount White, where we can toast to the year ahead and discuss the next generation of stars. This is a not-to-be-missed event for any serious racing enthusiast.

The format for the day:

  • 11.30am: Meet and greet the Evergreen and Waterhouse/Bott team with refreshments available. Catch up with other horses you have spelling or training at the farm currently
  • 12pm: Parade 5 - 6 yearlings who have commenced the 'early education' process
  • 2.30pm: Lunch at Saddles, Mount White

Please note numbers are limited so please RSVP HERE by Friday 13th February


Date

Sunday 22nd February

 

Time

11.30am arrival for 12pm parade - Yearling Parade at Evergreen Stud

2.30pm - Lunch at Saddles, Mount White

 

Address

Parade: Evergreen Stud

2163 Pacific Hwy, Heatherbrae, NSW, 2324

 

Lunch: Saddles

20 Ashbrookes Road, Mount White NSW

Please note lunch is $100pp

 

 Please RSVP by Friday  13th February HERE. 

We look forward to seeing many of you at Evergreen Stud, while producing a recap video for all of you who can't be with us too.

 

Happy Racing,

Gai & Adrian 

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HORSES AVAILABLE

Proisir/Ruqqaya '24

This colt is by Proisir, the reigning Champion New Zealand Sire whose meteoric rise has been defined by his ability to produce elite, multi-million dollar earners like Prowess and Legarto. The Waterhouse/Bott stable has seen firsthand the tenacity and class of the sire's progeny, and this individual was a real standout for the team. He is a half-brother to the dual Group 1 winner and successful sire Grunt, winner of the Australian Guineas and Makybe Diva Stakes, as well as the Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Zayydani. Out of the Van Nistelrooy mare Ruqqaya, he comes from the same family as NZ Horse Of The Year, Ocean Park.He is a big, rangy, and commanding colt with a huge overstep and a purposeful walk. He possesses great scope and a deep girth, giving the impression he will develop into a top-tier three-year-old capable of reaching the highest level over a variety of distances. Offered through the Trelawney Stud draft, New Zealand's longest-established commercial thoroughbred farm with a storied history of producing champions like Ocean Park and Granny Smith, he shapes as a blue-chip prospect with genuine stallion potential and a pedigree that is among the finest in the book.

Home Affairs/Zara Bay '24

By Home Affairs who has made a huge statement siring Golden Slipper winner Guest House, Group 2 winner Kinnaird and stakes winning filly Gin Twist.The page underneath is full of proper Australian speed. She is out of Zara Bay, a Fastnet Rock mare from one of the best sprinting families in the book. Zara Bay is a sister to Merchant Navy, a dual Group 1 winner and elite international sprinter, and to Jolie Bay, the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Joliestar. It is simply an outstanding pedigree.This is the kind of filly that makes sense for Australian owners. Home Affairs brings brilliance and speed, while the dam side is packed with proven sprinting talent and current performance. It is a family that continues to perform at the highest level.She impressed us in her first preparation at Randwick and gave us plenty to like. She handled the system well, showed good natural ability, and we are very much looking forward to seeing her continue to develop when she returns.

In The Congo/Devils Triangle '24

In The Congo was the fastest Golden Rose winner in history, and this colt looks to have inherited plenty of his sire’s natural speed and precocity.He is out of Devils Triangle, a high-quality More Than Ready mare who won five races and possessed a brilliant turn of foot. More Than Ready is world-renowned as a broodmare sire and an outstanding source of speed.He has been very sharp in his first preparation at Randwick and looks a naturally forward, early-running two-year-old type. On what he has shown so far, he profiles as the kind of colt who could potentially put himself in the frame for early races such as the Breeders’ Plate.

Zoustar/Ready To Prophet '24

This filly is by Australia’s Champion Sire Zoustar. He has been a fantastic producer of fillies with the likes of Sunlight, Zougotcha and Joliestar. The Zoustar/Fastnet Rock cross is one of the strongest crosses in Australia, operating at 12.6% stakes winners to runners, with eight stakes winners and three Group 1 winners. Ready To Prophet was a dual Listed winner and Group 3-placed mare for the Waterhouse/Bott stable.Since arriving at Randwick, she has continued to develop in all the right ways and has pleased us with the quality of her work. She has strengthened nicely since we purchased her at the sale and has shown a professional attitude. Both Gai and Adrian are very excited about this filly.

Gai & Adrian TV

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