The long running More Joyous saga continues tomorrow with Gai Waterhouse having to front Racing New South Wales Stewards again relating to fitness issues of the retired multiple Group 1 winning mare.

Stable jockey Nash Rawiller and Gai Waterhouse. Photo by Steve Hart.

Waterhouse was fined $5,000 for failing to notify the stewards that More Joyous had undergone treatment for a neck injury in the days leading up to her running in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 27.

And she was also fined an additional $500 for failing to keep proper records as required by the Racing New South Wales rules.

Prominent owner John Singleton was also fined $15,000 for conduct prejudicial to racing after verbally attacking Waterhouse in the mounting enclosure before and after the running of the All Aged Stakes and subsequently removed all of his horses from Tulloch Lodge.

Following evidence summited at that inquiry, Waterhouse is set to be questioned again about More Joyous’ fitness leading up to the running of the Group 1 $400,000 Inglis Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 6.

More Joyous was sent out the $1.65 favourite but was held up in traffic in the straight giving jockey Nash Rawiller no hope of getting a clear run until late in the race when the mare finished hard to wind up in fifth spot behind the Guy Walter trained Appearance.

Chairman of Stewards Ray Murrihy had noticed in the treatment records that More Joyous was listed as lame on the Tuesday prior to the Queen Of The Turf and was monitored by the vet leading up to the race.

“On Tuesday, April 2, the vet’s book says, ‘still lame near fore, bit of heat in foot’,” Murrihysaid before concluding the initial inquiry.

“Then on April 3 it says, ‘More Joyous improved’.

“Did you report that leading into that particular race when she finished fifth in the Queen Of The Turf?” Murrihy asked Waterhouse during the original hearing.

“She didn’t have an issue that would have affected her in the race,” Waterhouse replied.

“On the day of acceptances, she had improved.”

Murrihy has already started proceedings while Waterhouse was overseas on her annual leave, taking statements from veterinary surgeons and one of  the stable foremen.

Waterhouse is appealing the $5,500 fine handed down to her from the first inquiry.