Saturday summary: Top weight no impediment as Lady Shenandoah takes out Toorak Handicap

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Lady Shenandoah breaks through for fourth Group 1 in Toorak

Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) was a sensational 3-year-old filly, winning five Group races including three Group 1s across the Sydney spring and autumn, and on Saturday, the 5-year-old unearthed that form yet again to strike at the top level for the fifth time in the G1 Toorak Handicap.

Recording fourth placings in the G1 Winx Stakes and the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes en route to her Caulfield return on Saturday, the Chris Waller-trained mare was lumped with the top weight of 58kg and yet still prevailed in a home straight battle with former stablemate Changing Colours (The Autumn Sun) - carrying six kilos less - to win by a neck in the mile handicap, scoring her first victory since the 2025 G1 Coolmore Classic.

Welcometotheshow (Showtime) was a head further back in third, making it a remarkable trifecta for present and past resident sires of Arrowfield Stud.

It was on the recommendation of jockey James McDonald that Waller set the mare for the Toorak as opposed to keeping her in Sydney this weekend, and the plan was pulled off perfectly, with McDonald and Waller celebrating their 66th Group 1 win as a combination.

Former Waller horse Changing Colours is now trained by Lucy Yeomans, who was having her first runner at the top level as a solo trainer.

“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 said. "But it's credit to a good horse 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 1s."

Waller will next point the mare at the G1 Empire Rose Stakes in three weeks’ time, with the mare expected to return to Sydney for the interim.

"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."

Sales: Hermitage Thoroughbreds paid $525,000 for Lady Shenandoah at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Arrowfield Stud.

Pedigree: Lady Shenandoah is one of two Group 1 winners produced by Star Pupil (Starcraft {NZ}), who is also the dam of G1 HKJC Centenary Sprint Cup winner and sire Stronger, as well as Listed performer and stakes producer Tiger Silk (All American).

A winner herself, Star Pupil is out of triple Listed winner and Group 1 performer Ain’t Seen Nothin’ (Nothin' Leica Dane), making her a half to Group 3 winner Bachman (All American), Singaporean champion and 15-time winner Stepitup (Hussonet {USA}), and a full to dual Listed winner Ain’tnofallenstar (Starcraft {NZ}), dam of G3 JRA Cup winner Ain’tnodeeldun (Dundeel {NZ}).

Star Pupil will have a full brother to Lady Shenandoah to sell next year, and was covered by The Autumn Sun in 2025.

New track record as Land Legend decimates Might And Power

Ciaron Maher severely upset the apple cart in the G1 Might And Power Stakes at Caulfield with the victory of Land Legend (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) over short-priced favourite Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) and a star-studded field.

The G1 Metropolitan Handicap winner set a sharp pace in front in the colours of Bon Ho’s Legends Racing, turning for home with a length and change to spare over Kingswood (GB) (Roaring Lion {USA}).

Peter Moody’s mare had a lot of work to do from midfield as the field straightened and while she dug deep to pass both Kingswood and last start G1 Underwood Stakes winner Birdman (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}), Land Legend kept his head firmly in front to deny her by a head. Birdman was third by a length and a quarter, followed a neck further back by Kingswood, before a near three-length gap opened up to Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express).

Maher was firm in his belief that the Good 3 track played right into the gelding’s abilities.

“He ran his best race for us on a firm deck at Flemington, and we thought with a muddling tempo we would go forward," he said. "I said to (Ethan) Brownie to keep him happy as he has a lot of fights with a lot of riders in trackwork and on race day.”

Land Legend’s sizzling run set a new track record for the 2000 metres, stopping the clock at 2:00.30s.

"I thought it was a race where they might leave him alone, but I didn't know he was going to go that quick,” Maher said. “He did look happy during the run. He had his ears pricked. He was going quick, but he looked like he was enjoying himself, and so did Brownie.

"I thought coming down the side, he'll have a kick. I'm just thrilled.”

The victory ticked Land Legend’s prize money over the $2 million threshold, and Maher will now contemplate a third crack at the G1 Caulfield Cup or whether they chart a course to the G1 Cox Plate.

Sales: Land Legend was a €100,000 (AU$160,000) purchase for Avenue Bloodstock from Monceaux’s draft at the 2021 Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Land Legend is the best of three winners for the impeccably well related Landikusic (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), a winning full sister to Irish Champion 3YO Miler and sire Zoffany (Ire) and a half to Group 3-winning, Group 1-performed sire Wiltshire Boulevard (Ire), plus dual Group winner and G1 Irish Derby runner-up Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Amongst Landikusic’s sisters is the dam of G2 Flower Bowl Stakes winner Idea Generation (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Her own dam Tyranny (GB) (Machiavellian {USA}) is a half to Graded winner Spotlight (GB) (Dr Fong {USA}), the second dam to Italian Champion Older Female Elisa Again (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Listed-winning G1 St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}).

Landikusic’s most recent foal is the 2-year-old Tamoka (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).

Wondrous Waitak strikes again in Livamol Classic

A fortnight ago, Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) denied Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) by a tiny margin in the G1 Howden Insurance Mile, and on Saturday, it was yet again’s Waitak’s world that we were living in when the 7-year-old crushed his old rival by almost a length in the G1 Livamol Classic at Hastings.

While slow away from the barriers, the Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained gelding was able to comfortably camp midfield while Tuxedo sat at the head of the field until the turn for home, where he pushed to take the lead.

Jockey Craig Grylls peeled Waitak away from the rail and had to come out wide, but in a last dash effort in the final 50 metres, he collared his rival to post victory yet again.

“It wasn’t the prettiest way of doing it and we got further back than I anticipated,” said Grylls, who also took out the G3 Spring Sprint on War Princess (NZ) (US Navy Flag {USA}). “They were bunched up and across the top there was a bit of scrimmaging going on, so I thought I’d be better keeping him out in the open and rolling.

“I saw Tuxedo put a gap on us, but at the 250 metres, I was confident he was going to pick him up.”

“He is our champion,” said Scott. “We have spoken about him so much that there is not much left to say. Craig gave him a beautiful ride and Lance had called before the race to give the advice that it is cool heads that prevail in this type of race.

“Craig believed in the horse and he was so strong, just a warhorse. We were confident he would finish strong when you could see he was relaxed and that is when he finishes best.

“He stayed well and he has been so wonderful for us. This type of horse is just so hard to find, and we have a great team or good people around us to make this all happen.”

Sales: Waitak was bred by the late Colin Devine, and raced by his widow Jill.

Pedigree: Waitak is the first foal of Repo Bay (NZ) (Shocking), who hasn’t been very fertile, with only four-time winning 5-year-old gelding Crackercol (NZ) (Proisir) and an unnamed 2-year-old filly by Staphanos (Jpn) on her record. She is in foal to Proisir.

A dual winner herself, Repo Bay descends from three-time Group 1 winner Desirable (Without Fear {Fr}) who is the dam of two stakes winners, G2 WA Champion Fillies Stakes winner Entrancing (Bright Finish {USA}) and Listed winner Gilded Lily (Bletchingly).

Jigsaw unstoppable in Schillaci

Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) has been the epitome of getting better with age, and on Saturday, the 8-year-old extended winning streak to eight as he chalked up career win number 17 in the G2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield.

First-up in the 1100-metre dash, Cindy Alderson’s gelding went straight to the front and never gave his opponents a chance to catch him, reeling off a new track record in the process with a time of 1:01.97s.

The margin back to Flying For Fun (Spieth {NZ}) in second was a length and a quarter, with consistent performer Inkaruna (I Am Invincible) a half-length further back in third.

“It has been an amazing ride,” Alderson said. “I keep pinching myself thinking, ‘when is this going to end’. It’ll happen sooner or later but credit to the horse. He’s sound and he’s well. Everyone has worked really hard behind the scenes to keep him this way.

“He’s a bit of a devil. He still kicks his shoes off. The farrier has to come in and fix them up. So, it’s not all plain sailing. He is a fast horse. He loves racing, he loves going fast. I’m lucky to have him.

“He came out here and galloped on Tuesday. He just loves to run, this horse. It is like the faster he runs, the more he wins, and he thinks he can go faster and win more.”

Alderson said that she was keeping her options open with the gelding’s spring plans, knowing he does his best work round a bend.

“With Moonee Valley being out of action, he’s probably going to have to go down the straight which he hasn’t done since he was a 3-year-old so that will be interesting,” she said.

Sales: Bred by Mrs LB Alderson, he is owned by his trainer and M Price.

Pedigree: Jigsaw is a half-brother to stakes-placed Queen Adele (Adelaide {Ire}). Their dam, Demandz (NZ) (Lonhro), won three times and is a daughter of Listed winner Loaded Command (Commands). She has a 2-year-old filly called Labyrinth (Street Boss {USA}) and a yearling filly by Cylinder.

This is the family of G1 Stradbroke Handicap-winning mother and daughter Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force) and Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard).