Any suggestions that Lady Shenandoah’s prime was past have been definitively dispelled as the Chris Waller-trained mare clinched her second Group 1 victory in just two weeks.
Following her triumphant return in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield a fortnight ago, Lady Shenandoah added another elite-level prize to her impressive record, taking out the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
This marked Lady Shenandoah’s fifth Group 1 triumph in her career, accumulating seven wins from nineteen starts.
Sent off as the commanding $1.85 favourite under jockey James Mcdonald, Lady Shenandoah crossed the line a 1-½ length clear of Concord Connie ($6.50), with Idle Flyer ($18) finishing a further 1-¾ lengths adrift in third.
Lady Shenandoah provided Chris Waller with his second Group 1 success on Victoria Derby Day, having previously partnered with McDonald to win the day’s feature race with Stormy Marco.
Charlie Duckworth, representing the Waller stable, conveyed that the team never wavered in their belief in Lady Shenandoah, even when she endured a winless streak prior to her Toorak Handicap performance.
“You could have easily written her off prior to last start,” Duckworth stated. “She had been running well but just wasn’t winning. She was running in the hardest of hard races, from Everest’s to running against Autumn Glow and it’s not easy territory that she was in.”
“It shows how competitive these Group 1 races are and prior to today she had won four Group 1’s and $5 million and two weeks and a day ago, you would have said, is she really having a crack if you were outside the camp.”
“These races are so special to owners, to punters, to us. I know we all bang on about the money, and the money is great with these big prize money races, but you win a Derby, they are different.”
McDonald described his ride aboard Lady Shenandoah as effortless.
“The only worrying part was that she jumped out so well and she wanted to get on with the job,” McDonald commented. “I had to give her just ‘a, hey, come back quickly’ instead of running through the bridle, but it was the only worrying part of the whole race.”
“It’s hard with Autumn Glow around the same sort of trip and Autumn Glow’s got her measure, but she’s just so honest, always races to a high level. You know what you’re going to get with her is a solid performance. You’d love to own her and I love riding her.”
The race was unfortunately marred by a fall on the home turn when Pondalowie crashed, dislodging Harry Coffey.
Pondalowie managed to regain her feet and cantered off, while Coffey was attended to by medical staff.
Following an assessment, Coffey was transported to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, with concerns of a suspected fractured collarbone. Coffey had been scheduled to ride Shockletz in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
Those keen to back future winners can find competitive racing odds at leading Australian betting sites.