The horse she trained stopped the nation, but it was Gai Waterhouse who stopped the races in their tracks on Saturday.

Or rather, the races stopped Gai Waterhouse.

The champion trainer could barely move at Rosehill, such was the enthusiasm from the public wanting to meet the woman who clinched her maiden Melbourne Cup courtesy of Fiorente's winning run at Flemington.

As she mingled with friends, colleagues and the general public, Waterhouse clutched tightly to her first Melbourne Cup trainer's trophy, which has already travelled from Gerringong to Canberra and ridden on the back of a Harley Davidson.

"I love you Gai, you're my idol," one female racegoer, who stopped for a picture, said.

Waterhouse herself said she never could have foreseen the level of excitement that comes with winning Australia's richest race.

"I think it's fun, I want everyone to enjoy it. Only three women in history have won it," she said at the annual Girls' Day Out meeting.

"I don't think anyone really gets to feel the trophy, that's the thing.

"They're not interested in the others, they're only interested in the Melbourne Cup. I didn't realise that until I won it."

Australian Turf Club chief executive Darren Pearce presented Waterhouse with flowers as he welcomed her back to Sydney and praised her as "the First Lady of racing".

Waterhouse said she's kept her trophy close at all times - with one exception.

"It's not in bed with me. No, it's not in bed," she said.