After 21 years, Gai Waterhouse proves she's still a stayer Gai Waterhouse has claimed her first Melbourne Cup win with Fiorente taking out Aust racing's biggest prize. FIORENTE'S pulsating Melbourne Cup victory placed Gabriel Marie Waterhouse alongside her late father Thomas John Smith on the Melbourne Cup's roll of honour. It also dispelled what small doubt remained about the prolific trainer's place in racing's hall of fame. Luke Henderson, Gai Waterhouse, David Henderson, Rhonda Henderson and John Henderson with the Melbourne Cup at the Fiorente Melbourne Cup after party at The French Brasserie. But if some needed to see Waterhouse win the Melbourne Cup before granting her such exalted status, the 59-year-old trainer has never harboured any self-doubts. After the race it was suggested Fiorente's bold run meant Waterhouse was no longer merely a big force in Sydney. "Big force in Sydney?" she shot back with a flourish. What are you talking about? I'm a big force in Flemington. Stop writing that rubbish. Trainer Gai Waterhouse with winning connections after Fiorente won the Emirates Melbourne Cup / Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images As jockey Damien Oliver eased Fiorente past Red Cadeaux at the 200m mark, a spine-tingling piece of racing history was made before a boisterous crowd of 104,169. But if Waterhouse was typically effervescent as Fiorente hit the line, she was not particularly emotional. It was 20 years since Waterhouse's first Cup runner, Te Akau Nick, finished second in 1993. To everyone else this was a crowning achievement for a woman who had to emerge from the vast shadow cast by her father and overcome the prejudice against her gender. Waterhouse called the Melbourne Cup "a burning desire" and "a dream come true." But she seemed more relieved than elated. There were toothy smiles, but no tears. Gai Waterhouse holds up the Melbourne Cup / Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images Source: Getty Images "I didn't want to let people down," said Waterhouse. I wanted to fulfil their dream. I know it sounds a bit corny, but I really did. If a first victory was a coronation for Waterhouse, a third Melbourne Cup was rehabilitation for Oliver. Banned for 10 months for betting on a rival horse, Oliver thanked Waterhouse for her faith in him after she sacked original rider Nash Rawiller. "I did the crime and I did the time," said Oliver, who was booed by a few punters as he returned to scale. I unreservedly apologised for that. Once you've done that, you should be able to move on. It was a Melbourne Cup tinged with tragedy. Verema, owned by the Aga Khan, was put down after breaking her right foreleg. It was another indication of how heartbreakingly difficult the race is to win even for the bluebloods. For Waterhouse, triumph came near the end of a taxing year in which an ugly spat with owner John Singleton dragged the reputations of both through the mud. "Winners are marvellous," she said of that affair. I can tell you they are the best tonic you can have. Fiorente, left, ridden by Damien Oliver holds off Red Cadeaux to win the Melbourne Cup / Picture: Mal Fairclough Source: AP Even in triumph, Waterhouse could not completely escape controversy. On the morning of the race she was questioned over a cream applied to the hoofs of her other runner Tres Blue. A stewards room sequel will follow. Waterhouse said that before the race memories of her legendary father were vivid. Damien Oliver riding Fiorente celebrates winning the Melbourne Cup / Picture: Michael Dodge Source: Getty Images FROM Albury to the Tweed, cup fever gripped NSW as punters and party-goers celebrated the greatest race of all. For three minutes and twenty seconds, time seemingly stood still as most eyes across the nation were glued to screens for coverage of the Melbourne Cup, with avid race fans and once-a-year punters all willing their horses to victory. The desire to back the winner of the $6.2 million race was intense. It didn't matter that the race was 1000km away, everyone felt part of the action and dressing the part went without saying. The Prime Minister's wife Margie Abbott was just another face in the crowd at Manly's Steyne Hotel, enjoying every minute of the special day. More than 22,000 people found the time to get to Randwick Racecourse to watch some live horse racing there. This also happened to be the home turf of champion Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse. This was her domain - yet when her champion six-year-old Fiorente crossed the finishing line south of the border, she had truly made her mark, becoming only the second female trainer to win the hallowed Cup. And Sydney's racegoers were delighted. Australian Turf Club chief executive officer Darren Pearce said there had been a steady stream of guests arriving from mid-morning. "Most Australians see it as a bit of the done thing to enjoy Melbourne Cup day and they have certainly done that at Randwick Racecourse," Mr Pearce said. It's been a very well-dressed and well-behaved crowd, so we're very pleased. It was a similar story in the city's west. Blacktown Regional Economic and Employment Development Taskforce vice-president Steve Frost said his organisation's Melbourne Cup party had grown from "two people having a sausage sizzle" 15 years ago to more than 100 guests enjoying a spit roast. Yet despite the relaxed atmosphere at the party held each year at BREED's headquarters at Nirimba College in Quakers Hill, a lot of work was still done, he said. "It's a big networking day, but it's a chance to network without the pressure of the office," he said. It's massive the amount of work that gets done. He said the party was a way of thanking the businesses that had helped the not-for-profit organisation over the past 12 months.