That Waterhouse, a dominant trainer for nearly 20 years and arguably the highest profile face in Australian racing, can still not be considered the greatest trainer in her family is a tribute to the achievements of her father TJ Smith, but she has now joined him as a winning trainer of the world's richest handicap
Her desire to win a Cup was re-ignited four years ago when she didn't have a runner in the race. She told husband Robbie to 'go out and buy me a Cup winner' and the decision to purchase Fiorente proved the masterstroke to deliver the three-handled Cup back to Tulloch Lodge.
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"It's very exciting. I can’t even describe it but I’m so thrilled for the owners because they buy the horse a year ago and it runs second the first time it goes around in the Melbourne Cup and it comes back and wins the Cup," she said afterwards.
"It’s a holy grail, it’s the most important staying race we have in the southern hemisphere and it’s nice to have the Cup at Tulloch Lodge."
TJ Smith won the Cup twice in 1955 with Toparoa and in 1981 with Just A Dash.
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“Everyone who is a trainer wants to win the majors and the major staying racing in Australia is the Melbourne Cup so it ticks that off the bucket list.”
"It’s very nice to be up there with dad," she said. “I’ve got to do it again now, haven’t I?”
Fiorente started a $7 favorite and didn't give Waterhouse or jockey Damien Oliver any headaches, sitting well off the pace, which was set by stablemate Tres Blue outsider of Ruscello.
He travelled perfectly in the run and when Oliver asked him to take the gap to get to the outside at the top of the straight, he responded perfectly.
"He is a world class horse, he’s got an impeccable pedigree and he’s very versatile from 1400m to 3200m. You dream about a horse like this," Waterhouse said.
"Everyone that comes up to me, all the little people, that wish me luck, I get such a kick out of it and I want to thank them."
"I love racing and I love being involved with it and no one does it better than the VRC with the Melbourne Cup, and what a fabulous race, it’s the race that stops a nation."