KEY POINTS:
Three group-one winners and a ticket to Ascot. It was just another day at the office for Gai Waterhouse.
As a young girl tagging behind her father, T.J. Smith, Randwick racecourse was her backyard, but now it's serious business and her wins in the Champagne Stakes, Queen Elizabeth Stakes and All-Aged Stakes on Saturday took her tally to six group-one triumphs for the Easter carnival.
She was as buoyant and lively as always after Bentley Biscuit completed the treble in the All-Aged Stakes, but Waterhouse was still grounded enough to put the results in perspective.
"A day in the office, that's all it is," the trainer said. "It is the office, that's what it's all about. It's hard work, it doesn't happen overnight."
Without a runner in the feature race of the day, the Sydney Cup, Waterhouse's hard work gave her complete control of the other three group ones on offer.
She teamed with Melbourne jockey Nash Rawiller to claim the All-Aged Stakes and the Champagne Stakes with Meurice, while Damien Oliver rode Desert War to victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Desert War is "the Cassius Clay of racehorses", she said.
Meurice is "the most exciting horse I've seen in a very long time" and Bentley Biscuit, in which she also has a half share, is a "gorgeous horse".
Bentley Biscuit is now looking to follow Australian raiders Choisir and Takeover Target to Royal Ascot in England for Waterhouse's first official appointment at the Queen's track.
"I feel very honoured to take a horse like Bentley Biscuit to Ascot," she said. "Hopefully we all might have Biscuits and tea with the Queen."
Takeover Target was fifth behind Bentley Biscuit in his first race since traces of a banned substance were found in his system in Hong Kong in December, but the pair could face off again at Ascot.
Group-one wins and Royal Ascot may be just part of the business for Waterhouse, who paid A$3 million ($3.44 million) for a yearling at last week's Easter Sale, but there is still room for mates having some fun.
Three mates from Melbourne - Andrew Kerr, Brad Castricum and Sean Carroll - cobbled together just over A$10,000 to buy a roughie they named Blutigeroo, who won the group one BMW at Rosehill a fortnight ago and was favourite for the Sydney Cup.
He came fifth behind Gallic, owned by billionaire Lloyd Williams, but the mates at least proved a point.
"They're ordinary blokes who love a beer, love their footy and a punt," Blutigeroo's trainer Colin Little said.
Gallic, trained by Graeme Rogerson, backed up his win in the Adelaide Cup in March with a dour staying performance.
The Zabeel gelding enjoyed the run of the race under Steven Arnold from his inside barrier draw and travelled smoothly in fifth place until entering the home straight.
The field fanned out right across the track for the slog to the line in the 3200m feature and several runners were being hailed as the winner inside the final 200m.
Gallic stuck his head out where it mattered most. Irazu was second and No Wine No Song third.
"He's just a genuine stayer," Arnold said."He just keeps giving.
- AAP
