Waterhouse & Smith

Waterhouse and Smith explores the intriguing histories of Australia's two great horse racing dynasties – the betting plunges, the runs of winners, the battles with authorities, the family rifts and the larger-than-life identities.

The Waterhouses rose to incredible power and notoriety in the country's racing landscape before the infamous Fine Cotton ring-in led to a long fight to regain their bookmaking licences. Now a new generation is taking bookmaking to new heights. From dirt-poor origins, TJ Smith became the world's leading trainer. In his heyday, he prepared more Group One race winners than either Bart Cummings or Colin Hayes. Following in her father's footsteps, Gai rose through the male-dominated ranks of racing, overcoming all the odds to become a champion herself.

From eyewitness accounts of those who were there – the jockeys, owners, bookies, friends, enemies, racing experts, officials and lawyers – John Ellicott draws an eloquent portrayal of these two legendary families, how they came together, and how they continue to attract headlines.

'… riveting backstage account of racing …' The Age

John Ellicott has spent more than 20 years working as a journalist on country and city newspapers. He started his career on The Moree Champion in northwest NSW, joining The Daily Telegraph in 1986 as the paper's first rural reporter. In 1993 he joined The Australian (after a stint at AAP) where he was quickly submerged in the Robbie Waterhouse hearings after the Fine Cotton scandal. He later became the nation's first gaming writer and is currently a subeditor for The Australian. John's first book, A Year on the Punt, was published in 2007. John lives with his wife and young family in Thirroul on the south coast of NSW.