Gai: St Leger winner should get Melbourne Cup start

Gai Waterhouse AO and training partner Adrian Bott will run Zoumon in Monday’s VRC St Leger at Flemington. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

Legendary trainer Gai Waterhouse would like to see Flemington‘s $300,000 Listed VRC St Leger provide automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup for the winner.

Waterhouse, who has won the St Leger five times since 2013, will be represented by Zoumon on Anzac Day.

“I wish it was a qualifying race to the (Melbourne) Cup,” Waterhouse said.

“If it was in Ireland and you won the St Leger you’d be in the Cup, I wish that.”

Next month‘s Andrew Ramsden Stakes is the first of five Australian races exempting the winner from the Melbourne Cup ballot.

The St Leger does qualify the winner to run in the Andrew Ramsden, restricted to three, four and five-year-old gallopers, in pursuit of a Cup entry.

Waterhouse, who trains in partnership with Adrian Bott, highlighted the benefit of giving three-year-old stayers another way into the Cup.

“It’s a great thing to see the three-year-olds get up and show who the dominant horse is,” Waterhouse said.

“I think it’s nice to have strong Australian and New Zealand representation in the Melbourne Cup and we saw that last year, for the first time in ages.

“You’ll probably get more betting turnover because people know the horses better.”

The St Leger’s prizemoney increase to $300,000 – up from $200,000 last year – has had an immediate effect with a strong field of acceptances.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Zoumon will tackle Monday's VRC St Leger at Flemington. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

Triple Group 1-placed Godolphin gelding Alegron heads the market as a firm $1.90 favourite, ahead of The Cunning Fox ($6) and Zoumon ($6.50).

Alegron finished third behind the freakish Hitotsu and Benaud in the ATC Derby, while Zoumon ran fourth.

“He’s a very uncomplicated gelding (Zoumon), a very nice horse,” Waterhouse said.

“Tim Clark‘s making the pilgrimage down, if he wins it will be his first St Leger.”

But Waterhouse conceded Alegron deserved top-billing, given his consistency at the highest level.

“He’s (Zoumon) a nice horse with a really good chance,“ Waterhouse said.

“If the Godolphin horse is bigger and stronger on the day then c’est la vie, but we’ll be giving it our best shot.”

Waterhouse won her first two St Legers in 2013-14 with Hippopus and Order Of The Sun respectively.

After going three years without, the Hall of Fame trainer completed a hat-trick with Runaway, Transact and Sacramento winning from 2018-20.

Bart Cummings won a record seven St Legers, one more than Waterhouse’s father, Tommy Smith.

“There’s always room for a St Leger (trophy), I love the St Leger,” Waterhouse said.

“I love to see three-year-olds get out over a distance.”