By Brad Gray
Gai Waterhouse says she has seen 35 horses enter Tulloch Lodge as race horses and leave as stallions and blue blood Siege of Quebec could be the next ahead of Saturday's Rosehill Gardens assignment.
The two-year-old colt, who was purchased for $1.2 million at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, won his maiden at Newcastle’s Beaumont track on debut in good style.
“He is a quality horse and is a lovely individual,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s got a very good attitude, is determined and although he is not quite there physically, he is nicely placed there on Saturday. He’ll definitely enjoy the 1400m.”
The Coolmore-owned son of Fastnet Rock is a full brother to Bull Point who ran third for Waterhouse in the 2013 Golden Rose behind Zoustar and Dissident and the stable is hoping to emulate the same progression with Siege of Quebec.
“I trained the brother and know the family very well. There are a lot of similarities but this is a nicer type of horse. He’s better looking and with a nicer personality,” Waterhouse said.
“The other horses going towards the Golden Rose will be a lot more seasoned than Siege of Quebec. (His type are) a bit slow maturing and then all of a sudden there they are in the spring.”
Siege of Quebec made a winning debut
Arbeitsam will also represent Waterhouse and Bott at Rosehill with the three-year-old backing up after running his rivals ragged at Warwick Farm last Saturday.
“He is a horse that won very well the other day and Adam (Hyeronimus) handled him perfectly,” Waterhouse said, “He has done a treat. Adrian and I worked him on Tuesday just to make sure he had done well and he handled it with his eyes shut. He has come through the run exceptionally well. He has really hit a golden patch as some horses can do.”
Waterhouse has no doubt that the son of Snitzel will see out the 1800m trip suggesting that he has the scope to get even further before marvelling at the versatility of his sire.
“I think he’ll do it easily. I think you’ll find he is more a 2000m horse than a 1400m horse.”
“Snitzel is a wonderful stallion and no wonder he is Australia’s champion sire. They can win over 900 metres, Breeders' Plates and they can win a Cox Plate.”
Arbeitsam bouncing back to form at Warwick Farm
Tulloch Lodge’s spring team will be headlined by mares English, who will represent slot holder TAB in The Everest, and Global Glamour who Waterhouse believes has the makings of a weight-for-age galloper.
“English has developed into a beautiful big strong mare. When you think of the little whippet of a thing as she was a two-year-old...,” recalled Waterhouse.
“Global Glamour was always a little bit highly strung but she has really settled down. She has grown and matured too. They’ve both done extremely well.
“A mile is Global Glamour’s premium distance which she has proven in winning the Guineas (and Flight Stakes at Group One level). The rest she does on talent but she really thrives on the mile.”
Meanwhile, Waterhouse has a big team of youngsters currently going through the system and is excited by the progeny a range of new sires are set to produce on the race track including her Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente.
“I quite like the new sire The Factor standing at Newgate. I like him very much. I’ve also got a nice horse by Excelebration, another of the newer sires. I’ve got three Fiorentes and one of them is a magnificent individual that has just come back into work.”