THE FIRST lady of racing Gai Waterhouse is witnessing first hand the impact the TAB Warrnambool May Racing Carnival is continuing to have across the country.
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Social Element stormed away to win by 2.5 lengths ahead of favourite Hursley and Golden Flag in the second division of the Maiden Hurdle.
Waterhouse, 64, said she was excited to get her 2019 carnival underway with a victory and she was feeling the energy already building on day one.
"Everyone feels so excited and there is such a buzz in Port Fairy and Warrnambool I couldn't even start to tell you where our owners have come from," she said.
"Northern Queensland, New South Wales, Perth all to be here it's quite remarkable.
"I think I have got a bigger number of owners at this race meeting here today not just because of the two runners we have got but because they have heard about it and want to be apart of it.
"I think you will find more people will come down because it is so special and if they are lucky enough to own a jumps horse it's even more exciting."
The Sydney-based trainer praised the ride of Warrnambool-based jockey Shane Jackson.
"I couldn't be more impressed with him I think he has a lovely horse sense and he is a lovely horsemen and got very strong hands and he is six-foot-two and towers over me," Waterhouse said.
"I thought he rode him really sensibly as he let him sit behind the two leaders and break the wind, as it's very, very strong here today and he let him get into a rhythm.
"There was one jump he didn't handle quite right but he immediately grabbed hold of the horse and lifted him over the next and gave him his confidence back."
Jackson said his son would be trackside on Thursday - a a public holiday in Warrnambool - but had to miss the opening day of the carnival much to his disappointment.
"He went to school with a list of every race I was riding in," the Irish-born hoop said.
"I don't think there will be much school work done today."
Jackson said he enjoyed riding for Waterhouse - the first lady of Australian horse racing.
"I have had two rides for Gai now for two wins," he said. "You just know they're fit. This is a beautiful horse. I think there's a lot of improvement in him."
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
