Waterhouse and Bott clean up at Randwick
Group 1 wins for Tropical Squall and Just Fine headline red-letter day for Tulloch Lodge
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott enjoyed an extraordinary afternoon at Randwick, saddling a quartet of stakes winners headlined by a brace of Group 1s, courtesy of Tropical Squall’s (Prized Icon) win in the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and Just Fine’s (Sea The Stars) triumph in The Metropolitan (Gr 1, 2400m), two races Waterhouse has dominated in the past years.
Kicking off Waterhouse and Bott’s day in style was $1 million yearling purchase Espionage (Zoustar), who led home a trifecta for the stable in the Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m), nosing his head in front at the line to deny Straight Charge (Written By), while well-bred Prost (Snitzel) ran well to finish another half a length away in third.
Ridden by Blake Shinn, the son of Widden Stud stallion Zoustar (Northern Meteor) was making his debut following a trial victory at Randwick-Kensington over 845 metres just less than a fortnight ago.
Showing early speed from the gates, the colt travelled well in the closing stages and, after being produced at the 200-metre mark, ran on strongly to deny Straight Charge by a nose at the line.
“Just trying to dissect it all,” Bott said post-race. “Saw the two stablemates clear out there and have a great battle. They’ve been two quality colts all the way through. I’m delighted for all of the connections.
“It’s an important race for these potential stallions, and each of those first three across the line are all big players in that department. They’ve all got significant upside to them.
“We’ve been lucky over the years to get the right support. Three heavyweights in the industry and they’re buying quality horses and we’re getting the opportunity to train these types. That’s a big help, no doubt.
“He’s an expensive horse, he’s been beautiful from the outset. He’s done a great job, a well-deserved victory.
“All of them performed very credibly today. We will see how they pull up and work out what path to get in (the Golden Slipper).”
The James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership went to $1 million for Espionage at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, securing the colt from the Baramul Stud draft.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Espionage (2 c ex In Times Of War by Street Cry) is the second winner from as many to race out of the winning Street Cry (Machiavellian) mare In Times Of War, herself a daughter of Group 2 winner Military Rose (General Nediym), whose other four other stakes wins included a triumph in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m).
In 2022, In Times Of War produced a filly by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and was covered once again by Zoustar last September.
In winning the Group 3, the colt became the 42nd individual stakes winner for Zoustar, while he is the 17th juvenile black-type winner for the stallion.
The Breeders’ Plate has proved a good jumping off point for juvenile colts and is also considered to be one of the most prolific stallion making races, with the likes of Choisir (Danehill Dancer), Charge Forward (Red Ransom), Snitzel, Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock), Sebring (More Than Ready), Pierro (Lonhro) and Capitalist (Written Tycoon) all featuring on the Group 3’s roll of honour.
In total seven winners of the race have gone on to taste Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) glory, including Sebring, Pierro and Vancouver, who were all trained by Waterhouse.
With the Slipper still months away, Bott said they would start mapping a path towards the coveted Rosehill Group 1 for the first three home.
“All of them performed very credibly today. We will see how they pull up and work out what path to get in [the Golden Slipper],” he said.
“We’ve been lucky over the years to get the right support. Three heavyweights in the industry and they’re buying quality horses and we’re getting the opportunity to train these types. That’s a big help, no doubt.
“He’s [Espionage] an expensive horse; he’s been beautiful from the outset. He’s done a great job, a well-deserved victory.”
Eleventh Flight Stakes for Waterhouse
A few races later, Waterhouse continued her love affair with Flight Stakes when Tropical Squall (Prized Icon) continued her rise up the ranks as she reversed previous placings with Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible) by making all in the 1600-metre feature, handing Waterhouse her 11th win in the Group 1 and third with Bott.
Becoming the first elite-level winner for her sire Prized Icon (More Than Ready), Tropical Squall Jumping from barrier five under Adam Hyeronimus, the three-year-old filly travelled well on the speed and looked full of running rounding the home bend.
Ridden to extend her advantage, Tropical Squall quickened to have a two and a half advantage entering the final 100 metres and then held on well from the fast-finishing Kimochi (Brave Smash) with a further length and a quarter back to Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun) in third.
“She has been crying out for the mile,” Adrian Bott said. “I was really confident coming here today if we could make it a nice test for them and try and draw a bit of the speed and brilliance out of those others because we know she was prepped for this and ready. I’m just delighted that it’s come off.
“Obviously, the famous silks of Gooree, Gai and Gooree have had so much success on this day over the years. Those colours out bowling along out front and delighted for Adam (Hyeronimus). I am very pleased on a lot of fronts.
“He’s a great front-running rider, and he’s been keen on this filly for a long time. He’s had plenty of good opportunities all the way through, and he said there are a lot of things he would give up to stick with the filly. He’s been spot on the money there, and I’m delighted for him to get another big one.”
Bott said the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) at Flemington on November 9 is still the favoured goal for Tropical Squall, who was having just her fourth start after winning her first two in midweek grade then placing in the Tea Rose Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at her maiden stakes test.
“The Oaks was always the original plan. She was originally going to go down to Melbourne a bit sooner on that path, but we thought she’d shown a bit more brilliance so we’d keep here for the Flight Stakes and then decide,” said Bott.
“We weren’t necessarily rushed to get her there but that was more the run we thought she needed to have to condition her for a strong mile here,” Bott said.
“I still feel, given her breeding, she’s got the potential to get over a bit further so we’ll see exactly what the path looks like after today.
“But the Oaks is probably where we’ll look to aim up at.”
Tropical Squall gave jockey Adam Hyeronimus his second Group 1 after Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt) in the 2020 Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and capped his comeback from a more than two-year ban for betting offences.
Hyeronimus said there was a time when he thought his riding career was over and he credited Waterhouse and Bott as major influences in his decision to return earlier this year.
“I didn’t think I’d ever ride again to be honest, I had no intentions,” Hyeronimus said.
“Obviously I rode my first one for them at the start of the pandemic, no-one was there and celebrations were quite quiet, but to ride another Group 1 winner for them is very special.
“They’ve always been there for me and I’ve got a great relationship with the pair of them.”
Tropical Squall (3 f ex Squalls by Fusaichi Pegasus) was a mere $16,000 purchase for her owners Gooree Stud from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Bred by Kooringal Stud, Tropical Squall was not only the first Group 1 winner for the stud’s stallion Prized Icon, but also the first stakes winner.
She is the fifth winner from seven to race out of the winning Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector) mare Squalls, herself a half-sister to Breeders Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Steflara (Zabeel). Squalls died in 2021, with Tropical Squall being her final foal.
Incidentally, the Flight Stakes was the first Group 1 Waterhouse and Bott won as a training partnership, courtesy of Global Glamour’s (Star Witness) victory in 2016, while they also won the race in 2021 with Never Been Kissed (Tivaci).
Just Fine takes The Metropolitan
Waterhouse and Bott were handed the second top-flight winner of the afternoon when leading cups fancy Just Fine (Sea The Stars) enhanced his already big reputation when landing the time-honoured Metropolitan Handicap (Gr 1, 2400m).
Sent off the odds-on favourite following comfortable wins in Benchmark 94 company and the Kingston Town Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) in as many outings.
Ridden by Rachel King, the son of Sea The Stars (Cape Cross) pulled clear with eventual runner-up Spirit Ridge (Nathaniel) and fought gallantly to score by a head, the pair finishing a further four and a quarter lengths clear of the third-placed Kalapour (War Command).
“I think that proves he stays 2400 metres,” said King, who was enjoying her fourth victory at the top-level.
“Funny when I spoke to Gai this morning, not that I had a question mark about the 2400 metres, but a question mark people had. I just mentioned that, and she said, ‘Where was this horse born?’ I said ‘England’, and she said ‘Exactly, your home town. Of course, he’ll stay.’
“Gai and Adrian couldn’t have given me any more confidence. The whole team at home have put a lot of effort into this horse, and all that work has helped him to adapt so quickly.”
Bott indicated that the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) would be almost impossible to ignore after yesterday’s success.
“Hopefully, it’s a popular win, I’m glad we were able to deliver. It was a thrilling finish. I wasn’t sure we were going to get the upper hand. It was tough, well done to the horse,” Bott said.
“I think we might have to [go to the Melbourne Cup], it’s hard to deny it after that. He just continues to improve and go the right way for us and he opened up more options for him today staying that trip.
“It’s been a fantastic day. There’s a lot of work going in. A lot of team behind us to get us here today, a lot of planning and preparation. Owners to give us the opportunities to get here, so there’s lots that has got to fall into place, conditions on the day.”
Just Fine (6 g ex Bint Almatar by Kingmambo), who became the 20th elite-level winner for Gilltown Stud resident Sea The Stars, was purchased for 300,000gns by Mckeever Bloodstock and Waterhouse Bott Racing at last year’s Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale.
He is the best of four winners from five to race out of the Kingmambo (Mr Prospector) mare Bint Almatar, herself a half-sister to multiple Group 2 winner and English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) runner-up Master Of The Seas (Dubawi) and UAE Oaks (Gr 3, 1900m) scorer Falls Of Lora (Street Cry), the dam of Godolphin’s three-time Group 1 winner Cascadian (New Approach).
It was a historic day at Randwick with King’s win coming a race after Kathy O’Hara landed the Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) on board Rediener (Redoute’s Choice), becoming the first female jockeys to ride Group 1 winners on the same programme in Australia.
“It was very special, Kathy was the first person to come up next to me and give me a fist pump and I couldn’t have been happier to see her win the Epsom,” King said.
“Kath has been someone I’ve looked up to from the minute I’ve been in Australia so to follow her today, she won her Group 1 first and I got to get mine next.
“Girls are taking over.”
Ganbare too strong in Dulcify
Earlier in the afternoon, Waterhouse and Bott also enjoyed a victory in the Dulcify Stakes (Listed, 1600m), with three-year-old colt Ganbare (Maurice) throwing his hat into the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) picture when proving too strong for his rivals in the Listed event.
Having landed a 1600-metre handicap at Hawkesbury on his previous outing, the three-year-old Maurice (Screen Hero) colt toughed it out in the closing stages to defeat Pushy (Time Test) by a half-length, with a further neck back to Tom Kitten (Harry Angel) in third place.
A $260,000 purchase for Dodmark Thoroughbreds from the Arrowfield Stud draft at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Ganbare is the third winner from four to race for the talented Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare Mardi.