Trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald have extended their remarkable Group 1 winning tally to 66 after Lady Shenandoah secured victory in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.
It was on the advice of McDonald that Waller decided to bring Lady Shenandoah to Melbourne for the Group 1 Handicap over 1600m on Saturday, foregoing the 1400m Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill.
Lady Shenandoah, sent off at $5.50 as a co-favourite, overcame a difficult barrier to defeat Changing Colours ($8) by a head, with Welcometotheshow ($16) a short-head behind in third.
Waller lauded the ride by McDonald, which prevented Lucy Yeomans, in her second year of training, from achieving a Group 1 win with her first starter at that level.
Changing Colours, a horse Waller had previously trained before it moved to Yeomans’ Cranbourne stable, entered Saturday’s race having won its past four starts.
“I’m sorry for spoiling their party because they’ve done a great job with that horse to get it up to Group 1 level,” Waller remarked. “But it’s credit to a good horse (Lady Shenadoah) and a good ride from James. That was one of the best you will ever see with the big weight and for a mare, that’s massive.
“She’s a really good horse and I think that’s her fourth Group 1 and she’s done it in handicaps. Not many horses do that in handicaps after three Group 1’s.”
Waller explained that his ‘form man’ had indicated Lady Shenandoah was a strong chance for a top-three finish despite carrying weight, and McDonald had also given the mare a significant endorsement.
“We kept that pretty close to our chest,” Waller stated. “James was coming down and Ben (Melham) was already riding Birdman as he had won a Group 1 on him. I thought I can’t just bring you down here for the Guineas as the Guineas, we didn’t think we could win it, but we could run top three (with this mare), and with that, and James saying she can win, we decided to bring her down.”
Waller confirmed that the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on the initial day of Melbourne Cup week is now slated as the next target for Lady Shenandoah.
With three weeks separating Lady Shenandoah from the October 31st race, Waller is contemplating whether to transport her back to Sydney or keep her stabled in Melbourne.
“We normally leave them down, but we took her home (after running in the Sir Rupert Clarke),” Waller said. “She doesn’t do that well down here and we’ve got three weeks. I had her booked in to go to the farm tomorrow, so I’ll have a think whether to send her there or take her back home.”
Betting markets for the race are expected to be competitive.
