Lady Shenandoah enhances her reputation with a dazzling performance in the Group 1 Flight Stakes at Randwick

Trainer Chris Waller lost his number one seed, Autumn Glow, on the eve of the Group 1 Flight Stakes but his exciting filly Lady Shenandoah stood tall to claim the Group 1 at Randwick.

Lady Shenandoah (Zac Lloyd) romps to victory in the Group 1 Flight Stakes at Royal Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

Lady Shenandoah was so brilliant she had many pondering an obvious question – would she have beaten boom stablemate Autumn Glow?

The Chris Waller-trained Lady Shenandoah had just enhanced her own reputation as a rising star of the turf with a sensational performance in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.

Autumn Glow, the unbeaten winner of all three starts, had been the $1.50 Flight Stakes favourite until 24 hours before the coveted fillies feature.

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But the emerging superstar was scratched on Friday morning after showing signs of lameness in her right front leg.

A veterinary examination found a bone chip in the filly’s knee, which has since been removed.

Waller had been contemplating not starting Lady Shenandoah in the race and saving her for the Group 1 Thousand Guineas next month instead of clashing with Autumn Glow.

His decision to keep Lady Shenandoah in paid huge dividends as he claimed his third Flight Stakes in the past six years.

“It was a tough week but I’m not going to get emotional about it because I’m so blessed to have these types of horses in the stable,” Waller said.

“Autumn Glow, she’s a star. But this little girl here (Lady Shenandoah), she’s pretty good too.

“Guy (Mulcaster) and I, we got our heads together and said at the sales, ‘this is a Flight Stakes-type filly.

Make way for the lady!

Lady Shenandoah makes a mess of the G1 Flight Stakes with a dominant win for @ZacLloydx and @cwallerracing!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/GAlwl6Ber6

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024

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“She didn’t win in Brisbane and I remember saying after the race, ‘we’ll win the Flight Stakes’. That was before Autumn Glow started. So we got that one right.”

Waller put the faith in apprentice Zac Lloyd to get the job done on Lady Shenandoah and the young hoop delivered in spades.

He had the Snitzel filly poised to pounce in behind the leaders and they looked to have plenty to offer at the top of the straight.

Lady Shenandoah ($3.10) let down powerfully before racing away for a classy three-and-a-quarter length success from the Nathan Doyle-trained Harlem Queen ($7.50).

The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Snow In May ($2.60 fav) was third.

It was a second career Group 1 for Lloyd, who broke his major duck during the Brisbane Winter Carnival on Stefi Magnetica in the Stradbroke Handicap.

“The feeling never gets old,” Lloyd said.

“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.”

Waller gave Lloyd the opportunity to ride Militarize in last year’s Cox Plate and has been eager to use the two-time champion apprentice in Group 1 races.

Too Darn Discreet sweeps past the favourites to claim the Edward Manifold! 💨

Awesome result for trainer Dan O'Sullivan winning a Group 2 on a big day. 👏@DOSullivanRacepic.twitter.com/1QvjqOssmW

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 5, 2024

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“I take particular interest in what other trainers use for jockeys and John Hawkes has used him right from the start,” the trainer said.

“That is what made me prick my ears and I always hear Darren Beadman glow about him.

“He is in a good team at Godolphin with James Cummings and I have been dying to give him some good opportunities.”

Waller said it’s unlikely he would push on to a Group 1 Thousand Guineas now with Lady Shenandoah and was looking forward to see her clash with Autumn Glow in 2025.

Autumn Glow was able to undergo successful surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.

“I haven’t been through the recovery with the vets yet but I would be confident she would be back in the autumn,” Waller said.

“These things happen. It happened to Winx (after her Doncaster win).

“It’s probably a blessing in disguise, you can get things cleaned up. Find a problem, own it and get on with it.”

Waller will still have Declichy Boulevard in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas next month after the filly finished runner-up in Saturday’s Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

Originally published as Lady Shenandoah enhances her reputation with a dazzling performance in the Group 1 Flight Stakes at Randwick