The promising Chris Waller-trained filly, Lady Shenandoah, soared to victory over the Randwick mile on Epsom Day with a powerhouse three-length win in the 2024 Flight Stakes.
Lady Shenandoah was enormous up to a mile dominating the 2024 Flight Stakes results. Photo: Steve Hart.
Betting on this year’s Group 1 $750,000 Flight Stakes (1600m) was thrown wide open on Friday with Waller’s one-time favourite, the undefeated Autumn Glow, withdrawn from the race and the rest of the spring.
Waller still managed to secure his third Flight Stakes trophy however with his smart Snitzel filly Lady Shenandoah showing plenty of class to beat her rivals in a blistering late run on the back of a Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality victory over the boys.
A skillful ride by in-form young hoop Zac Lloyd saw the eventual winner settle fourth in the run before powering to the lead on the straight and cruising away for an all-too-easy win in the prestigious event.
For Waller it was his 164th Group 1 success but for apprentice jockey Lloyd it was just his second following his Stradbroke Handicap success on one of this year’s The Everest contenders, Stefi Magnetica.
“The feeling never gets old,” Lloyd said post-win.
“The second is as good as the first. And to do it for Mr Waller, who has given me good opportunities in the past and I haven’t quite repaid him but hopefully that makes up for a couple of the bad rides.”
Harlem Queen, the in-form Brutal filly, secured second place, while the pre-race favourite, Snow In May, finished a third to complete the Flight Stakes trifecta.
Waller hinted at a potential run in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield in November.
“She was going to go to the Thousand Guineas because we thought another filly might be running in this race today,” Waller said.
“She was entered for the trials yesterday, but obviously she’s got a little bit up her sleeve. We won’t get too carried away, she’s still filling out and developing, but she’s got a Group One next to her name.”
Lady Shenandoah looks poised for a successful spring campaign and is at a pre-field quote of $4 in Thousand Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.
2024 Flight Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | LADY SHENANDOAH | Chris Waller | Zac Lloyd (a) | 4 | 56kg | $3.10 | ||
| 2 | 7 | HARLEM QUEEN | Nathan Doyle | Sam Clipperton | 3.17L | 2 | 56kg | $7.50 | |
| 3 | 2 | SNOW IN MAY | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | Kerrin McEvoy | 3.51L | 5 | 56kg | $2.60F | |
| 4 | 9 | POWERS OF OPAL (NZ) | John Sargent | Tommy Berry | 4.5L | 1 | 56kg | $6.50 | |
| 5 | 3 | LAZZURA | Chris Waller | Craig Williams | 5.66L | 6 | 56kg | $7.50 | |
| 6 | 6 | MISS BUSSLINGER | Kris Lees | Dylan Gibbons | 10.23L | 3 | 56kg | $31 | |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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