Trainer Joe Pride was full of post-race praise for his talented mare Mariamia who handed apprentice hoop Tyler Schiller a maiden Group 1 win in the Group 1 $1 million The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on Slipper Day.
Retirement has been delayed for Joe Pride’s The Galaxy 2023 winning mare Mariamia. Photo: Steve Hart.
Pride had prepared two previous The Galaxy winners enjoying success in the feature autumn sprint with Tiger Tees (2014) and Eduardo (2020) before saluting a third time in 2023 with his Group 2 Expressway Stakes winning mare Mariamia.
The six-year-old daughter of Toronado improved on her lead-up fourth as the beaten odds-on favourite in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) to return to winning form back in both distance and weights with just 51kg in the Group 1.
“That’s her crowning moment, she’s won a Galaxy now,” Pride told the media.
“She’s a bonny mare, just great to see her do that there today to state the obvious.
“She’s been going so well all preparation and just that run at 1300m it stretched her out with a really quick tempo and she didn’t really get her chance to finish off that day.
“But given that quiet run in behind them today with no weight on her back and a great reward for Tyler (Schiller), I know he’ll really appreciate that. He rode more winners for me last season than anyone else and to be able to give him a reward like that it’ll be pretty special for him, and it’s certainly special for us.
“He’s a fantastic jock. He’s had no problems going through the ranks and I think a lot of these kids we see maybe after their apprenticeship not take that next step. But I’d be very surprised if that was the case with Tyler.”
Schiller gave The Galaxy winner a peach of a ride settling her just off the hot speed set by stablemate Eduardo who crossed to lead.
Once on the home straight Mariamia ($10) came bolting home up the inside off the hot tempo and was too strong over the final furlong getting to the front and pulling clear to win in an upset.
On the line she had three-quarters of a length to spare over the beaten top elect Uncommon James ($3.50F) who was brave in defeat having been caught in traffic until the closing stages.
Third went to Peter & Paul Snowden‘s last start Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes winning Capitalist colt Cannonball with the three-year-old good rounding out the trifecta at $18 The Galaxy odds.
A career at stud as a broodmare for Mariamia has now been put on hold with Pride hinting at racing on with the now Group 1 winner into the spring.
“I think we should delay it,” he added.
“I was given a marker, I told them I was going to win three black type races and keep the stud work at bay so we’ll see.
“There’s some pretty big races in the spring for her but in many ways she’s done her job and super proud of her today she went terrific.”
