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Gai Waterhouse has burned eight wins clear of Chris Waller in the NSW trainers' premiership after another big weekend for Tulloch Lodge, but her Rosehill counterpart remains atop the metro standings.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Waterhouse has prepared an astounding 130 winners this season, and is the only NSW trainer to have eclipsed the $10m mark in prizemoney.
Waller is the closest on that front with a tick under $7m banked through 122 winners, but his 95 city salutes have him on track to retain his Sydney premiership crown.
Tulloch Lodge is eight wins adrift in Sydney, a margin which was greater than 30 before the Sydney autumn carnival where Waterhouse led in a hat-trick of winners on five occasions.
Her scintillating form continued at Hawkesbury on the weekend where she landed another hat-trick of winners – her sixth straight on a Saturday.
“It won't last forever and after this week, we might have a bit of a leanish time,” Waterhouse told The Daily Telegraph after the Hawkesbury meeting.
“I've been very conscious of the winning streak and I'd love to keep it going.
“If you train winners, what will be, will be. But I don't think I'll have the numbers over the next three months to win the premiership - although we will be trying our best.”
Waterhouse has been in sensational form over the autumn, while the likes of Waller and third-placed Peter Snowden have struggled to maintain their lofty standards.
Nine of her last 22 metro runners have saluted, and in that time she's collected three Group 1s - the Doncaster Handicap, Champagne Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Four of her last six provincial starters have won and she's even prepared a pair of country winners this year.
Waller meanwhile has landed one city winner in his last 19 attempts, and just two provincial winners in his last 25.
Waterhouse's weekend highlight came through More Strawberries who claimed the listed Darley Crown (1300m).
Promising stayer Rueben Percival also won while Samui Lad continued his march through the grades.
Australia's leading female trainer could have had a fourth triumph, but Western Symbol just fell short in the listed Rowley Mile, beaten a head by Star Of Octagonal.
Doncaster Prelude winner Fast Clip could only manage a disappointing ninth.
The only major downer for Waterhouse was the performance of the previously unbeaten Landing in the listed Hawkesbury, who finished 11 lengths back in eighth spot.
“Of the two that failed badly, I do believe they didn't handle the track,” Waterhouse blogged on Monday morning.
“Even though it was given out as a Dead 4, some jockeys reported it was quite shifty and horses like Landing and Fast Clip are probably not at their best in that type of going.
“Landing will be spelled - he has done a pretty good job for a young horse, and Fast Clip will be freshened for Scone.”