3 minute read
Gai Waterhouse's venture into jumps racing is progressing well with the help of top Victorian trainer Ciaron Maher and champion jumps jockey Steve Pateman.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Waterhouse is aiming to make an impact at Warrnambool next week with The Nemesis, a former Kiwi gelding she bought specifically from New Zealand with the aim of winning a restricted hurdle race at the carnival that is the pinnacle of jumps racing in Victoria.
The Nemesis, a six-year-old by Yamamin Vital, had raced seven times on the flat for three placings before he won a maiden hurdle over 2400m at Te Rapa last September.
Waterhouse then stepped in and purchased the gelding for herself and a syndicate of clients to satisfy her desire to train a fully fledged jumper for the Warrnambool carnival.
She gave The Nemesis a solid grounding for Warrnambool at Randwick where small hurdles are used regularly by Waterhouse and other trainers as a ploy to "sharpen" their flat horses between races.
However Racing Victoria deputy chairman of stewards Rob Montgomery had to make a trip to Sydney to watch a special hurdle school by The Nemesis at Randwick on April 10 before Waterhouse was granted the appropriate licence to start jumpers in Victoria.
Montgomery reported that he was more than satisfied with the jumping ability of The Nemesis and Waterhouse's jumps training skills after she had passed Racing Victoria’s trainer education requirements.
The Nemesis was sent to Warrnambool after the Randwick school where he has been under the care of Maher, a noted trainer of jumpers with multiple Grand National Steeple and Warrnambool Grand Annual wins to his credit.
Pateman has also lent a hand, riding The Nemesis when he finished third in a 2800m hurdle trial at Warrnambool last Friday.
Maher and Pateman were able to pass on to Waterhouse a pleasing report on the gelding's preparation for his Australian huirdle debut next week.
“They told me The Nemesis jumped a bit high but said once he got into his rhythm he went very well,” Waterhouse said.
Another set of jumps trials will be held at Warrnambool on Sunday when The Nemesis is expected to get another look at the hurdle course.
Warrnambool should be prepared for the arrival of Waterhouse and her entourage for the three day carnival that starts next Tuesday.
"I’m really looking forward to the carnival. I’m bringing 20 people down with me from Sydney and 10 of them are in the ownership of The Nemesis," Waterhouse told the Warrnambool Standard.
"We’re all excited about getting down there. I’ve heard so much about the Grand Annual I can’t wait to see my first one.”
Wizard New Zealand trainer John Wheeler, a Warrnambool legend with four Grand Annual wins, showed he will be a major player at this year’s carnival when four of his horses won their hurdle and steeple trials last Friday.
Petushki, Tobouggie Nights and Banna Strand won steeple trials while Yamanaura won a hurdle heat.
