Gai Waterhouse and the Melbourne Cup: A Match Made in Racing Heaven (Except for All Those Other Times)
Gai Waterhouse, the "first lady of Australian racing," is a legend. She's trained over 145 Group 1 winners, enough trophies to fill a particularly fancy museum. But there's one race that's eluded her... well, most of the time. That race, my friends, is the mighty Melbourne Cup, the race that stops a nation (and possibly causes a national toast shortage).
So, how many Melbourne Cups has Gai Waterhouse actually wrangled?
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| How Many Melbourne Cups Has Gai Waterhouse Won |
Hold Your Horses (For a Second)
QuickTip: Skim slowly, read deeply.
Just one! That's right, despite her incredible record, Gai Waterhouse has only claimed Melbourne Cup glory once. But what a win it was! In 2013, her champion Fiorente thundered across the finish line, making Gai the first Australian woman to train a Melbourne Cup winner. That's right, folks, she shattered a glass ceiling faster than a racehorse on a mission.
So Close, Yet So Far (Sometimes)
QuickTip: Absorb ideas one at a time.
Of course, the Melbourne Cup is a fickle mistress. Gai Waterhouse has had several other horses run in the Cup, some putting in cracking performances. Remember Nothin' Leica Dane in 1994? A gallant second place, enough to make your heart go thumpity-thump. But that elusive gold cup? It remained frustratingly out of reach... for a while.
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Then Came Fiorente (Finally!)
QuickTip: Go back if you lost the thread.
Enter Fiorente in 2013. This six-year-old gelding with a name that sounds like a fancy Italian dessert became Gai's Melbourne Cup champion. The win was a national celebration, proving that sometimes, good things really do come to those who wait (and train a bunch of super-fast horses).
Gai's Melbourne Cup: A Love Story (With a Few Plot Twists)
So, there you have it. Gai Waterhouse and the Melbourne Cup: a love story with a few dramatic turns. One glorious win, a handful of near misses, and a whole lot of racing history made.
QuickTip: Focus more on the ‘how’ than the ‘what’.
How To FAQs:
- How to Train a Melbourne Cup Winner (Like Gai Waterhouse): Step 1: Find a horse with the speed of a cheetah and the stamina of an ox. Step 2: Train like a maniac. Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 for several years. Step 4: Hope for a bit of luck. Note: There is no guaranteed Step 5.
- How to Watch the Melbourne Cup: Find a TV, pub, or friendly stranger with a large screen. Add copious amounts of snacks and beverages (responsibly, of course).
- How to Dress for the Melbourne Cup: Think fascinators, fancy frocks, and suits that scream, "I may or may not have put a bet on the favorite."
- How to Celebrate a Melbourne Cup Win: This depends entirely on whether you actually picked the winner. If yes, high fives, celebratory dances, and maybe a new car (because, you know, you probably won a lot of money). If not, commiserate with your fellow punters and vow to do better next year.
- How to Get Over a Melbourne Cup Loss: See answer to question above. Retail therapy and delicious comfort food are also acceptable options.
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