Gai Waterhouse was unable to record a race win with Carlton House in Australia, but Her Majesty The Queen Of England has given the leading trainer another horse to train in the form of Bold Sniper.
Bold Sniper has joined the Waterhouse stable and could make his Australian racing debut during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Unlike Carlton House, Bold Sniper did not race at the highest level of racing during his career in the Northern Hemisphere, but he has form around the likes of John O’Shea-trained Contributer, Mackinnon Stakes placegetter Farraaj and new stablemate Café Society.
Waterhouse told Sky Racing HQ that Bold Sniper is a lovely looking horse and she said that she was excited and privileged to be given the opportunity to train another horse for The Queen.
“He is a lovely type of horse and he is already in the yard,” Waterhouse said.
“Her Majesty’s Racing Manager John Warren arrived at the Coast on Saturday and we already spoke several months ago about Her Majesty giving me a second horse.
“She had so much fun and won such wonderful prizemoney with Carlton House and she was terribly interested in the way that we do things down under.
“She has very kindly graced me with another horse.
“Bold Sniper is a lovely big rangy horse and we will have a lot of fun with him.
“I haven’t seen him in the flesh yet, so I am looking forward to seeing him when I go back on Sunday.”
Bold Sniper made his racing debut under the care of Sir Michael Stoute at Newbury in April of 2013 and he recorded his maiden race by five lengths at Thirsk a month later.
The New Approach gelding finished a credible third behind Elidor in the King George V Stakes during the 2013 Royal Ascot Meeting and took out the Neptune Investment Management Handicap at the same venue before he finished his season with a flat effort in the RAC Handicap during the Glorious Goodwood Meeting.
Bold Sniper returned to racing with a third place finish in the Suffolk Stakes (1810m) at Newmarket and he produced consistent performances in the Listed Wolferton Handicap (2011m) at Royal Ascot and the John Smith’s Cup (2092m) at York before he failed to fire when 17th behind subsequent Melbourne Cup runner Mutual Regard.
Carlton House had an eventful stint in Australia and did not win a race, but finished a close second in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and was third behind It’s A Dundeel and Sacred Falls in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
