It is one feature race in Australia that neither she nor her legendary late father could win, but Gai Waterhouse thinks her family’s long Perth Cup drought may be about to end.
Waterhouse and training partner Adrian Bott have the 2020 English Derby winner Serpentine poised to tackle the 2400-metre $1 million event on Wednesday and Waterhouse said the stayer had a few things in his favour when he steps out onto the Ascot track.
“He’s as fit as I can get him and 2400 metres is right up his alley,” she said.
“People say to me ‘Oh you’ve only got one horse on the plane?’ and I said ‘Yes, it only takes one horse to win the Perth Cup’.
“He has a great advantage in that he has got good gate speed and because of this he has an advantage over a few of the back markers.
“So, all in all we’re all ready to get to Ascot and rock’n’roll like the best.”
Waterhouse’s father Tommy Smith went close to scoring a Cup win in Perth. He finished third in the 1979 Perth Cup with Taksan and then four years later finished third again with Port Karling and a year later finished second with Chiamare.
Waterhouse said Serpentine had fully settled into life in Australia and was now ready to show that derby form.
“I don’t like that ‘imported staying’ business.” she said. “He’s been here a few years and he’s now an Aussie like you and I,” she said.
The Perth Cup will also have a further taste of eastern seaboard competitors with Geelong stayer, Young Werther, who has landed in Perth and will be ridden by leading jockey Damien Lane.
Lane is Western Australian born and his mount is a $7 threat alongside Serpentine to win the million-dollar race.
– racing.com
