17 hours ago
2025 WJ McKell Cup: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott flex French connection with Elamaz
French import Elamaz can emulate his compatriot Eliyass by making a winning Australian debut in a stakes race at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Elamaz is the $4 favourite for the Listed $200,000 WJ McKell Cup (2000m).
Elamaz is raced in similar interests to stablemate Eliyaas, who also came from France with a record of six wins and two second placings from eight starts before winning the Lord Mayor's Cup over the Rosehill 2000m course at his Australian debut 12 months ago.
Eliyass trained on to win the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes, defeating Ceolwulf, then ran third to champion mare Via Sistina in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes.
Bott said there are obvious similarities between Eliyass and new stable recruit Elamaz who had seven races in France, finishing top two every start with four wins, all at 1600m.
'Elamaz was sourced by the same agent, Louis Le Metayer, on the back of Eliyaas last year,'' Bott said.
'Louis knows the form well over there, he has all the contacts and knows all the players. This horse, Elamaz, profile-wise in terms of his race record is very consistent, just like Eliyass.''
Bott said Elamaz had had a thorough grounding for his Australian debut with three barriers trials in which he has shown obvious talent each time.
Elamaz (Ire)
(Gleneagles (Ire) - Emiyna (Usa) par Marias mon (Usa)) @mickaelbarzalon @GraffardRacing @AgaKhanStuds #Elamaz
Prix Albanilla (St cloud - 1600m)
— French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) May 1, 2024
•
'The majority of his races have been over a mile so we are stretching him out to this distance for the first time and he is first-up so we are learning about him on Saturday,'' Bott said.
'But he has had a good grounding with the three trials, he's a nice, progressive horse and is a very interesting one to watch on Saturday.''
Waterhouse is hoping for her fifth win in the McKell Cup after previous wins with Grand Connection (1995), We're Dancing (2002), Ecuador (2016), Hush Writer (2019) and Zoumon (2023), the last two wins in partnership with Bott.
The trainers also have Townsend ($7.50) lining up in the McKell Cup and believe he is set to improve after three runs from a spell.
'Townsend showed promise last preparation, particularly over this trip,'' Bott said.
'He hasn't quite had things go his way this time in but the blinkers are coming off and this looks a nice race for him to capitalise and bounce back to his best.''
