By Craig Kerry
Overwhelmed with relief and pride, champion trainer Chris Waller was keen to give Lady Shenandoah a break and aim at the next level in the spring after she fought hard to score a third group 1 victory and an undefeated autumn on Saturday at Rosehill.
The three-year-old filly, taking on open mares in the $1 million Coolmore Classic (1500m), held out stablemate Firestorm by a head, with filly Lady Of Camelot a half-length further back.
Lady Shenandoah, left, holds out Firestorm, right, in the Coolmore Classic. Credit: Getty Images
It was a fifth consecutive victory for Lady Shenandoah, which was a $2.60 Sportsbet favourite, and followed wins in 3YO fillies races, the group 2 Light Fingers and group 1 Surround Stakes, both over Lady Of Camelot.
The decision to take on open mares was an unusual one for Waller, who has traditionally taken his star fillies to the Phar Lap Stakes on the same program.
Waller was relieved Lady Shenandoah was able to find late and gain a gun ride from James McDonald after she sweated up pre-race. He was now looking to put her in the paddock and prepare for weight-for-age targets in the spring.
“Honestly, with her sweating up …” Waller said. “We’ve got to look after her at some stage, and we haven’t missed her to get to this stage.
“She’s not going to stud, she’s got another two or three years in her if we look after her.
“You can rave about Doncasters, but she’s probably carrying the same weight as some other good three-year-olds and there’s older horses with a similar weight, so it’s highly unlikely.
“She’s really finding under a fight, which is fantastic and that’s why we need to go to the next level.
“I don’t know how far she’ll get, that’s the only thing I don’t know, but she’ll be winning more group 1 races.
“The good fillies we’ve had just keep getting better and better. She’s already there, so our job was to try to get her to that next level again. Some of those great horses we’ve had were later maturers, so I don’t like to compare, but Winx wasn’t doing this at this age.”
Skyhook flies high for McEvoy
Kerrin McEvoy looks likely to partner Skyhook in next week’s Golden Slipper after riding both winners in the final group 3 qualifiers for the $5 million race at Rosehill on Saturday.
Skyhook gave trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou a second Slipper runner when he led easily then kicked clear in the straight for a three and a quarter-length domination of the group 3 Pago Pago Stakes.
McEvoy then took Peter Snowden-prepared filly Memo to a breakthrough victory in the Magic Night Stakes with a swooping finish for a long neck margin over Ryan and Alexiou’s Dream Side.
Kerrin McEvoy rides Skyhook to victory in the Pago Pago Stakes.Credit: Getty Images
The maiden win in the $250,000 race took Memo to over $750,000 in prizemoney after four placings in five previous starts, including second in the Magic Millions Classic.
As he told the Herald midweek, Snowden said Memo was unlikely to back up in the Slipper.
“I don’t think so,” Snowden said of a Slipper start.
“Look, it’s too early to make a call yet. I’ve got to talk to the owners, but in my mind, the Percy Sykes, she’s probably a chance of getting there.
“She’s had a long season, she’s been to every dance, so to back up again after a week and a very hot day might be one bridge too far for her, but she’s done a great job.”
Snowden already has colt Quietly Arrogant in the Slipper, where Tommy Berry was set to ride.
McEvoy, meanwhile, was eyeing the ride on Skyhook, if the Written Tycoon colt backs up.
“Obviously a really warm day, he got a bit sweaty, which is a concern if he comes back in a week’s time, but the stable will know whether he can,” McEvoy said.
“I think so [riding Skyhook], but I haven’t spoken to Gerald. He said a few days ago he’ll have to wait and see. It wasn’t set in stone that he was going to back up.”
Both winners on Saturday were into $8 for the Slipper.
“There’s no standouts, so it’s barrier draws and luck in running,” McEvoy said.
Skyhook’s win follows last Sunday’s impressive Black Opal Stakes victory for Ryan and Alexiou’s King Of Pop, which was safely into the Slipper field on prizemoney and was a $15 chance.
“I think both are live chances and that’s all I can ask,” Alexiou said.
“We’ve had quite a few runners over the years who you could say were making up the numbers, but I think we’ll have two live chances this year, in what looks a pretty even year.
“King Of Pop is a real sort of natural two-year-old, running sort of horse. This horse is probably more of a three-year-old, but he’s probably just doing it on raw ability at the minute.”
Hawkes-trained favourite West Of Swindon was scratched from the Pago Pago on vets’ advice with lameness after pulling his near fore plate. Skyhook was cleared on race morning after slipping over and scraping a knee.
Rachel King-ridden Eagle Nest later gave Ryan and Alexiou a stakes double when she produced a fighting finish to edge out Time To Boogie in the group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m).
Bjorn Baker-trained Iowna Merc, under Josh Parr, lifted late to defeat Willaidow in the group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) by a nose. Zac Lloyd was facing suspension for his ride on Willaidow, after he was charged with shifting in on Pericles at the 1100m.
Vauban handles heat
Two-time beaten Melbourne Cup favourite Vauban is on target for the group 1 Tancred Stakes after making a stunning debut for his new Australian connections to win the group 2 Sky High Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.
The seven-year-old was a reported $2 million buy for Australian Bloodstock and trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott after finishing 11th in the 2024 Melbourne Cup. Vauban has a history of getting worked up pre-race but on a day when temperatures soared into the mid-30s, he came with a flying finish to down Arapaho in a photo.
“He’s got a few little quirks that we’re going to work through and I think he’s just going to continue to adapt,” Bott said.
“But obviously he’s an older horse now and he’s set in his ways also, so we don’t want to change too much also.”
Lazzura delivers for Waller
Master trainer Chris Waller was eyeing the group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes on April 12 with Lazzura after she gave him an eighth group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) with a powerful finish at Rosehill.
Tommy Berry raced Lazzura outside leader Flying From Above, and she quickly took over on the home turn and sprinted home for a one and three-quarters of a length win over Wonder Boy with a last 600m of 32.73 seconds.
“It’s been a good race to us and it’s a stepping stone for some futures,” Waller said of the $300,000 feature for three-year-olds.
“A good example is this filly. She’s been third behind some very good fillies throughout her career, in particular this preparation, and this just gives her a bit of confidence.”
