Stand My Ground has celebrated a triumphant return to racing, clinching a first-up victory in the prestigious $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) at Royal Randwick today. Following the win, trainer Marc Chevalier shared his immediate plans.

“We are already thinking about the Five Diamonds, 2027 – but we might have a few runs before,” Chevalier said. This ambitious outlook for Stand My Ground should not be underestimated, given the exceptional training performance that prepared the mare for a winning debut in the Four Pillars.

Chevalier revealed that the Four Pillars prize had been on his radar since his filly’s unplaced run behind the late Ohope Wins in the ATC Australian Oaks at Randwick last April. “We have been preparing this mare for (the Four Pillars) the past six months,” Chevalier said. “After the Oaks, we decided to give her a good break, bring her back in 15 weeks before the Four Pillars and we would get her ready off two (barrier) trials and she would be ready to win. Everything has been spot on and this is a very sweet feeling.”

Ridden expertly by Tyler Schiller, Stand My Ground ($10) managed to fend off a late challenge from Cuban Cigar ($7), winning by a narrow half-head. Magical Moments ($8) secured third place, finishing just over two lengths behind the winner.

The $6.50 favourite, Dusty Bay, who had led into the straight, ultimately faded to finish 10th. Topweight Alabama State ($7) raced prominently outside the leader but could only manage seventh at the finish.

Post-race, Schiller lauded the mare and her trainer’s efforts in the Four Pillars. “She is such a tough horse,” Schiller said. “And for Marc to get her to win first up over 1500m in a tough race, with that weight, it’s a great training effort. She had a tough run from a wide barrier. I got a bit of cover early, which I thought was great. She is a big momentum horse and probably got there a touch soon but she quickened well up the rise. To her credit she just kept toughing it out. That horse joined her probably 100m out and she wouldn’t let it get past her.”

Chevalier highlighted Stand My Ground’s potential, evident in her Four Pillars win first-up after a spell. She had progressed to the Oaks last autumn in just her fourth career start. “After the Oaks in autumn, we thought about going to Queensland but decided to give her three months out and ‘prep’ her for this race,” Chevalier said. “She had a little hiccup with a temperature on the morning of her first-up run back in the autumn so we missed a run. She went second-up in the Vinery and she was only beaten less than a length, so we knew we had a good filly at that time. In the Oaks, she didn’t quite run the trip but I’m confident she will run 2400m ridden conservative. But she proved today that she is a quality mare because 1500m is not her trip, she is only warming up now.”

For those interested in the racing action, explore the latest betting markets for the Four Pillars Midway at leading Australian betting sites.