1. Gabriel Marie "Gai" Waterhouse is an Australian horse trainer and businesswoman.
13 Facts About Gai Waterhouse
1. 2.
The daughter of Tommy J Smith, a leading trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses, Waterhouse was born and raised in Sydney.
3.
Gai Waterhouse was the trainer of Fiorente, the winner of the 2013 Melbourne Cup, becoming the third woman to train a winner of that race.
4.
Gai Waterhouse was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2007, and has been described as the "first lady of Australian racing".
5.
Gai Waterhouse was educated at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Rose Bay in Sydney, and completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of New South Wales in 1975.
6.
Gai Waterhouse made a name for herself as a model and actor, including in the Australian drama The Young Doctors before moving to England and appearing in the Doctor Who story The Invasion of Time.
7.
Gai Waterhouse then returned to Australia where she served an apprenticeship under her father for fifteen years before gaining her trainer's licence.
8.
Gai Waterhouse was granted her Australian Jockey Club licence in January 1992, although this was made difficult as her husband, Robbie Gai Waterhouse, was banned over his involvement in the Fine Cotton scandal.
9.
Gai Waterhouse first achieved fame in Australia when Nothin' Leica Dane came into the Melbourne Cup in 1995 after winning the Victoria Derby three days earlier.
10.
On 5 November 2013, Gai Waterhouse won her first Melbourne Cup with Fiorente.
11.
Gai Waterhouse is the second female trainer to win the race, and the first Australian woman.
12.
On 30 September 2000, Gai Waterhouse was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for "outstanding contribution to thoroughbred racing".
13.
Gai Waterhouse is an Australian Living Treasure nominated by the National Trust of Australia.