The celebrated combination of trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald has now achieved 66 Group 1 victories together, following Lady Shenandoah’s commanding performance in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.
Acting on McDonald’s recommendation, Waller made the strategic decision to campaign Lady Shenandoah in Melbourne for the 1600m Group 1 Handicap on Saturday, rather than participating in the 1400m Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill.
Sent out as the $5.50 equal favourite, Lady Shenandoah, despite a difficult draw, managed to hold off a late surge from Changing Colours ($8) to win by a head, with Welcometotheshow ($16) a short-head further back in third.
Waller lauded McDonald’s exceptional ride, noting it thwarted Lucy Yeomans, in her second year of training, from securing a Group 1 win with her first runner at the highest level.
Changing Colours, a horse previously under Waller’s tutelage before joining Yeomans’ Cranbourne stable, entered Saturday’s contest on the back of four consecutive wins.
“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 stated. “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 elaborated that his ‘form man’ had indicated Lady Shenandoah presented an excellent prospect for a top-three finish despite her handicap burden, and McDonald had also strongly supported the mare’s chances.
“We kept that pretty close to our chest,” Waller admitted. “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 the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on the opening day of Melbourne Cup week is now the intended target for Lady Shenandoah.
With three weeks until the October 31st race, Waller is contemplating whether to return Lady Shenandoah to Sydney or keep her based in Melbourne.
“We normally leave them down, but we took her home (after running in the Sir Rupert Clarke),” Waller explained. “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.”
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