Racing queen upstages King’s horse as Sir Delius becomes Melbourne Cup favourite

3 days ago 5

The queen of Australian Racing Gai Waterhouse upstaged the King of England at Flemington on Saturday as she moved a giant stride closer to winning a second Melbourne Cup.

Waterhouse’s imported galloper Sir Delius is now outright favourite for the race that stops a nation after crushing a star-studded field in the group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m), including relegating Antino into second and last year’s horse of the year Via Sistina into third.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse and jockey Craig Williams after Sir Delius won the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

Waterhouse took centre stage on a day that many believed would be dedicated to the King.

The five-year-old stallion she co-trains with Adrian Bott exploded, while His Majesty’s horse, Gilded Water, lost the plot.

“He really is a most exciting horse,” Waterhouse beamed about Sir Delius.

By comparison, Gilded Water fell short of expectations in a different race.

He was favourite to win The Bart Cummings handicap, a 2520m staying test that guaranteed the winner a golden ticket into the Cup.

Trainer Ciaron Maher thought he was ready to win, but the five-year-old gelding didn’t read the script.

He jumped from the gates and bolted, giving jockey Jamie Melham a torrid ride.

Halfway through the race he had broken five lengths clear, but it was a small miracle that he had enough energy to hang on for third.

In a twist of fate, the race was won by the royally named Valiant King.

“I’ve never been so exhausted in my life,” a flush-faced Melham said after the race.

The star jockey said she was in a “lot of trouble” from the moment Gilded Water found the front and refused to settle.

“He was out of control. Absolutely out of control,” she said.

Craig Williams rides Sir Delius to the Turnbull Stakes win at Flemington.

“But if he can run that hard and keep going, god, if he can harness it, he’s going to be a big chance if he can get into the Cup.”

The equation for Gilded Water to get into the Cup is straightforward: Gilded Water has to win either the Geelong Cup or the Moonee Valley Cup.

There were no such problems for Sir Delius’s jockey Craig Williams. He was shocked at the ease with which Waterhouse’s horse won the Turnbull Stakes.

“In group 1 races, you don’t think you can win like that,” he said.

Jye McNeil riding Valiant King to victory in the Bart Cummings Stakes at Flemington.

“We had the outside barrier. Gai and Adrian were very good about having an open book without too much pressure about riding him. I had to use a few carrots to find a spot, but when the chips are down, this horse is a winner.”

Sir Delius is now second favourite for the Cox Plate behind last year’s winner Via Sistina in what is shaping as a mouth-watering rematch, if that’s where Waterhouse decides to run.

She has already won the Melbourne Cup, capturing the race with Fiorente in 2013, but has never won the Cox Plate.

“Whatever he runs in, they’re going to have to beat him,” Waterhouse said.

Race 10 at Flemington on Saturday, the Paris Lane Stakes, was won by Media World, ridden by Michael Dee.

Williams was less circumspect about the main event.

“All I can say [is] the target has been the Melbourne Cup this year and I just said you will never have 55-½ kilos in the Melbourne Cup again,” he said.

“I worked him during the week at Flemington and he walked out and he owned the track. He owns everything he does, and today you saw that attitude.

“He puts the writing on the wall when under pressure against these top horses, he’s delivering.”

Melham’s fortunes turned for the better in the Turnbull Stakes when her mount, Half Yours, flashed home for fourth behind Sir Delius.

The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained stayer is now a clear-cut favourite for the Caulfield Cup.

“Extremely excited for two weeks’ time with this horse. He’s flying,” Melham said.

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