Just 40 minutes after they combined to claim the Epsom Handicap with Fat Al, trainer Gai Waterhouse and jockey Tommy Berry made it a Group One double with import Glencadam Gold in the Metropolitan.
Just like she did in the autumn, Waterhouse dominated the major day of the Sydney spring by snaring the two most prestigious races on the program.
Glencadam Gold winning the Group 1 Metropolitan at Randwick racecourse - Photo by Steve Hart
She was quick to credit her husband, bookmaker Rob, with identifying Glencadam Gold as an ideal Caulfield and Melbourne Cups prospect when he was racing in England.
“Rob did the form and it’s all to Rob’s credit,” she said.
“I just do the training.”
The free-striding five-year-old, unbeaten in four Australian starts, will now head to the first of the major Cups races at Caulfield on October 20 when he will strive to become the first horse since Tawqeet in 2006 to claim the Metropolitan-Caulfield Cup double.
“Wasn’t it fantastic,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s such an exciting horse. Look out Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.”
Waterhouse’s No.1 stable jockey Nash Rawiller has ridden Glencadam Gold in two of his previous three starts but when topweight Efficient was accepted for the Metropolitan (2400m) on Wednesday, Glencadam Gold was left to carry just 53kg which is out of Rawiller’s weight range.
Berry picked up the mount and in a twist of fate, Efficient was subsequently scratched due to injury.
Had Efficient not been in the race, weights would have been raised and Rawiller would have been given the winning mount.
But the top hoop was among those to congratulate Berry on his starring role.
“He’s happy as Larry for me. He’s a champion bloke,” Berry said of Rawiller.
Glencadam Gold, heavily backed from $3.50 into $2.80 favourite, dictated from the front and always had the race in his keeping.
He strode to the line 3-3/4 lengths ahead of Kelinni ($7) with a short neck to the Waterhouse-trained Reuben Percival ($61) in third.
“He’s a top class stayer,” Berry said.
“I haven’t ridden many but I rode Descarado, he won a Caulfield Cup and this horse can too.”
Glencadam Gold’s victory gave Waterhouse a record eighth win in the Metropolitan.
Going into the race she shared the training record with her father, the legendary T J Smith, but with Saturday’s success Waterhouse now holds training honours outright.
