Love The Lady But Don't Agree...We Must Listen..Right Or Wrong

[scooby3051]

'You've just got to ignore them': Gai says 'nup' to Cup protesters

 

By Ben Dorries
03:01pm • 05 November 2025 

Racing's legendary first lady Gai Waterhouse says the ‘Nup to the Cup' anti-racing crusaders are "un-Australian" and has given some strong advice on how to deal with them. 

Ignore them.

"Anyone who wants to knock the Melbourne Cup, they are being very un-Australian, they just don't understand life, they are so precious," Waterhouse said.

"I wouldn't even waste my time having these people down to my stable to show them how well we treat our horses, because you won't convert them.

"We shouldn't worry about them.

"They are a minority and people shouldn't be listening to them or worried about what they say, because you would go mad worrying about them.

"My advice to people is to do what I do – don't read it and don't listen to it.

"If you read some of the garbage, you would be so upset at the nonsense that you wouldn't be able to go to work in the morning."

Like they are at the same time very year, anti-racing types and the ‘Nup to the Cup' movement were up and about on social media making misinformed Melbourne Cup claims.

And they tried to manufacture a major scandal out of the fact that Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours returned briefly bleeding from the mouth after winning the great race. 

Racing Victoria officials quickly allayed any concerns when they determined he had suffered only a minor laceration and required no medical attention.

"Horses sometimes get a cut in their mouths or a bump on their leg," Waterhouse said.

"But we, as a society, can be over sensitive and we can overreact.

"We should pay absolutely no attention to the protesters.

"They will find something else to protest about tomorrow.

"You've just got to ignore them.

"Racing is a very positive thing and it brings families together.

"On Stakes day at Flemington, the place will be chock-a-block with children and with families and people in their teens." 

No serious injuries have been sustained by Melbourne Cup runners in the past five years, with Anthony Van Dyck the last Cup fatality in 2020.

There has been plenty of debate about stringent vet protocols since their introduction in 2021, but Racing Victoria chief executive Aaron Morrison said they had "played an important role in mitigating the risk of serious injury in the Cup."

Waterhouse, who was hoping to have boom horse Sir Delius race in the Melbourne Cup until he was ruled out with vet protocols, said she was proud of Vauban who finished sixth in the Cup.

It was his best Cup finish, at his third attempt, and Waterhouse indicated he would go to the paddock and could return for a fourth Melbourne Cup crack in 2026.

Waterhouse has only found one negative with Melbourne Cup week.

The legendary trainer, who is married to bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse, insists the bookies stands should be on the front lawn like they are at Royal Ascot.

"They have brought Fashions On the Field and other things to the front, but the one thing they forgot was the bookmakers," Waterhouse said.

"They have to be up the front.

"It takes away some of the flair and excitement, not having bookmakers out the front.

"What fuels horse racing is (wagering) revenue.

"We could not run horse races or have prizemoney or fill the stands without revenue."

[scooby3051]

Social media is way to strong nowadays to just say simply ignore it and the people behind it.

[nomates]

40 minutes ago, scooby3051 said:

Social media is way to strong nowadays to just say simply ignore it and the people behind it.

TBF Scooby most of the stuff on social media is shite and should be ignored .

As for the anti horse brigade , whilst we can get some things in our house in better order , for them burning down the house is the only solution .

I would love to dig into some of these peoples lives and find out if they are all the saints they see themselves to be .

So whilst I agree with what you are saying we have to be smart enough to not get dragged into appeasing their every whim .

[scooby3051]

I fully agree but we can not just ignore it....that was my point.

[Michael Roustoby]

Racing needs to be on the front foot not standing back defending itself or doing nothing.

Fight fire with fire. Some lunatic says horse racing is cruel on the internet,sheep follow them in. They don't really care but they just want to be part of something.

Why can't racing get in first and put videos up of retired racehorses enjoying their lives,behind the scenes at the stables where the kids are busting their hump for the horses?

Horse hotel. The horses go for a run and a swim,room service turns up,cleans the room from top to bottom,provides a meal and snacks and fresh bedding.

Horse comes back gets a nice bath including a sponge bath,dried off and back into the hotel room. Or out in the paddock for the day.

Horse welfare is put first.

Someone turns up at 3:30am checks the horses welfare,any waste feed,signs of distress etc, temperature taken.

Horses get a nutritious meal,better than most people get, supplements for overall health,exercised , washed,feet trimmed , around the clock veterinary care,covered,fed,dentist, chiropractic treatment,provided with shelter and safe from predators.

A horse in the wild cuts it's leg open and dies slowly from infection. 

Why are we not telling this side of the story instead of bending over saying we probably should ban the whip,we better not advertise our great sport in case something happens etc

Alot of people,myself included dedicate our lives to these animals. Not to exploit them to make money,my accountant can back me up with that one, but it's because we love them and put them front row centre in our lives. I have 3 retired horses at home aged 20,17 and 12 and we lost a 23yo a couple of years ago.

They get covered,fed, farrier,vet check,teeth done and live in the lush grass of Putaruru. Nothing better.

But some blue haired lunatic on the Twittergram tells the world all racehorses are bashed and beaten for profit and shot the day they are retired.

It's just bullshit. Racing needs to do better telling our story.

I believe Nztr has a marketing department. Over to you ....

 

Also pony racing needs to be made bigger. It's the greatest way to get the young kids in ,the parents,siblings and friends come watch them race and while it may not make jockeys alot of these kids will end up trackriders or stablehands etc or fans of the great game.

It's called doing. Or we can just sit back and argue over the whip. Banning it will create 0 new racing fans,they will move onto tongue tied,jumps racing,2yo racing and so on.

Do be a do-er don't be a dont-er

Bending over to blue haired septum ring wearing people or the internet isn't going to help. We need to tell our story

[scooby3051]

Totally correct that is what I was trying to say...more or less.

[Michael Roustoby]

And the horses at home run together, constantly race each other up and down the paddock and when they play they kick and bite each other very hard,alot more pain than the padded riding crop would bring but they shake It off like nothing happened. So I do struggle when I'm told the whip causes such pain and trauma. 

(I would agree with a 5/6 strikes policy and disqualification for going more than 4 over)

[sunlineboy]

It wasn't an overly big anti-racing crowd there on Sat/Tues.

Not having any breakdowns helps - because that's what they want to see.