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Waterhouse won’t touch the 2026 Ladbrokes Cox Plate trophy out of superstition. It sounds only reasonable after her long pursuit to win Australasia’s Weight-for-Age Championship – the race her father T.J. Smith holds the record for winning seven times.

Gai Waterhouse: Racing's Ultimate Performer

Gai Waterhouse compares horse racing to the world of theatre – where all the preparation is done behind curtains and away from the audience while raceday turns into show day.Both stages are one Waterhouse excels on and if Sir Delius gets to the Ladbrokes Cox Plate as race favourite – you get the feeling both horse and the First Lady of Racing will be ready for a show-stopping performance.Waterhouse won’t touch the 2026 Ladbrokes Cox Plate trophy out of superstition. It sounds only reasonable after her long pursuit to win Australasia’s Weight-for-Age Championship – the race her father T.J. Smith holds the record for winning seven times.It hasn’t been through a lack of trying – champion horses such as Grand Armee, Desert War, More Joyous, Pierro, Fiorente and Alligator Blood have been amongst those she has saddled up over The Valley’s testing 2040 metre circuit.Six placings from 25 starters in the race have only driven her to add her own W.S. Cox Plate to her father’s enviable collection.&nbsp;“It’s certainly a trophy and a race I would love to win,” Waterhouse emphasises.&nbsp;“When you haven’t won it - we’ve ran places that many times but timing, especially when it was at Moonee Valley, is essential.“The Cox Plate is one of the jewels in the crown.“It shows they are the champion weight-for-age horse of Australia.“Growing up it was a bit like Lloyd Williams or Bart (Cummings) winning all the Melbourne Cups and Dad with this wonderful weight-for-age race.“Dad took it in his stride, he wouldn’t be gloating that isn’t the person Dad was.“I remember as a child he would come home with all the different trophies – it was so exciting – and I thought it was the norm and every trainer did that on a Saturday.”Each Cox Plate winner writes their own story and for T.J. it brings back memories of the mighty Tulloch, crowd favourite Gunsynd and the unlikely champion in Kingston Town.A young Waterhouse recalls being overseas for part of the King’s reign but was at Moonee Valley in 1982 when he deified the odds and Bill Collins to win.If Sir Delius is to claim the 2026 Ladbrokes Cox Plate at Flemington, undoubtably the heart ache of not being allowed to run in 2025 will be a part of the chapter.“It was certainly a punch in the guts there no other expression for it,” Waterhouse admits.“You work so hard for the goal you think you can achieve and it wasn’t to be – we had to move on – we had no other choice.”Waterhouse compares the son of Frankel to Fiorente who finished third in the 2013 W.S. Cox Plate - but thrived on the wide expanses of Flemington.Purchased a week after the 2024 Ladbrokes Cox Plate for $2.8 million, Sir Delius carries the silks of Sir Owen Glenn who had Critetrion finish second to Winx in the 2015 W.S. Cox Plate.“Nobody loves it more than Sir Owen… he travels the world to watch football, cricket, volleyball, you name it, he he has a real passion for sport, and he loves horse racing and gets such a kick out of it,” Waterhouse explained.“He was cheap at the end of the day because his potential was so enormous.“Rob (Waterhouse) liked him so much – so if Rob liked him, I like him… it’s a very good formula and we’ve had great success.“I feel we’ve got the real deal … he is a big strong individual, an alpha male and a tall horse with a will to win - they are the attributes you need.“He has that killer instinct – he knows where the post is – I love that in horses.”And when the curtains rise at Flemington on October 24, Waterhouse knows better than most that the greatest performances are the ones you spend a lifetime preparing for.

The Valley will once again play host to a leg of the National Pony Racing Series, with the Victorian event set to take place on 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Day, Saturday 22 March.A collaboration between Pony Club Australia and Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC), the series is designed to educate young riders on careers in the racing and breeding industry, giving them a taste of professional competition on major racedays.The series features six race meetings across Australia, culminating in the national finals in June. Before the Victorian leg, Ballarat hosted a Jumpstart weekend, where participants received riding instruction, horse health education, career insights, and rider fitness training.&nbsp;In preparation for their big moment on 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Day, competitors will also take part in a training day at The Valley to familiarise themselves with the track.On Saturday, two pony races will be held for state finalists aged 9 to 15. The first, over 450m at 11:30 am, is for ponies not exceeding 12.2hh, while the second, over 700m, is for ponies not exceeding 14hh. That event will take place following Race 3 on the card at 1:30 pm.&nbsp;Moonee Valley Racing Club has enjoyed its association with TIC and Pony Club Australia, providing young riders with the opportunity to gain experience on a major racing stage. The Valley hosted a leg of the first National Pony Racing Series in 2023, and last year on 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Day held a Shetland Pony Race.With the next generation of riders set to take centre stage once again, The Valley looks forward to another thrilling chapter in this growing series.

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Waterhouse won’t touch the 2026 Ladbrokes Cox Plate trophy out of superstition. It sounds only reasonable after her long pursuit to win the race.

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