‘This is Lady Shenandoah’s race to lose’: Form guru declares filly in 2025 Surround Stakes
She is already the highest-rated filly in Saturday’s Group 1 Surround Stakes but a renowned form guru has ominously declared improvement is to come from Lady Shenandoah at Randwick on Saturday.
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“It’s hard to tip anything to beat Via Sistina and this is Lady Shenandoah’s race to lose.’’
This was how form guru Gary Crispe summed up the chances of the crack Chris Waller-trained, James McDonald-ridden duo who are hot favourites to win Group 1 races at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Via Sistina is into $1.85 favouritism with TAB Fixed Odds to give Waller a record 11th win in the $1 million Verry Elleegant (formerly Chipping Norton) Stakes (1600m) and Lady Shenandoah is at $1.55 for the $750,000 Surround (1400m).
Crispe said Via Sistina had a lofty Timeform rating of 132 and was superior when she got to 1600m and further.
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“If Via Sistina runs anywhere near her peak rating she easily wins this race,’’ Crispe said.
“It’s hard to tip anything to beat her and I’m sure she will improve on her Apollo Stakes run (third to Fangirl).
“Ceolwulf has a 125 peak rating and he was good first-up. He has two Group 1 wins at the Randwick mile and will make a race of it with Via Sistina.
“Fangirl was really good in the Apollo but I just feel Via Sistina has more improvement.’’
We are fans!!!
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 15, 2025
Fangirl makes it back-to-back Apollo Stakes 🙌@cwallerracing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/a0XgcxkMs0
Crispe was even more definite when it came to Lady Shenandoah’s chances in the Surround Stakes.
“It’s her race to lose,’’ he said.
“Lady Shenandoah has the highest rating of any filly in this race with a peak 115 figure and she has more to come.
“The 1400m is no issue, she is unbeaten at Randwick, she’s a really good filly and should win this race quite comfortably.
“Lilac and More Territories are promising fillies who should run well but they are racing for second behind Lady Shenandoah.’’
One for the ladies! Lady Shenandoah absolutely smashes them in the G2 TAB Light Fingers Stakes and wins with her ears pricked!@ZacLloydx | @cwallerracing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/tfZu9PgjlC
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 15, 2025
• EXPERT TIPS: Australian Guineas, Verry Elleegant Stakes, Surround Stakes
TAB Fixed Odds punters share Crispe’s confidence the Waller stablemates dominating better for their Group 1 races.
Via Sistina has firmed from $2.10 into $1.85 for the Verry Elleegant Stakes including a big bet of $10,000 at $1.85 and the mare accounts for more than 70 per cent of total TAB outlays.
Lady Shenandoah makes up for 85 per cent of all betting on the Surround Stakes and has firmed from $1.70 to $1.55 after some big bets including $5000 at $1.60, $5000 place at $1.12, $4000 at $1.60 and multiple bets of $3000 at $1.70.
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FANGIRL and Lindermann will be trying to repeat their Apollo Stakes heroics when the clash again in the Group 1 $1 million Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Debbie Kepitis of Winx fame had one of her proudest moments on a racetrack when – as the owner-breeder of Fangirl and Lindermann – she watched on two weeks ago when they ran the quinella in the Apollo Stakes, relegating Via Sistina and Ceolwulf to third and fourth placing respectively.
The four outstanding weight-for-age horses meet again in the Verry Elleegant Stakes.
Fangirl is a rising seven-year-old mare but once again demonstrated the brilliant acceleration which has been her trademark in the Apollo to run down Lindermann.
• Ray Thomas’s verdict: Who will win the Verry Elleegant Stakes?
“We couldn’t help but feel very proud that day,’’ Mrs Kepitis said.
“Fangirl is amazing, her turn of foot is still there. “Chris (Waller) and his staff do an amazing job with her.
“They know the mare so well, they know her behaviour, how she acts, so if there is anything that is a little bit different with her, they are right on top of it.
“I feel that is why Fangirl is still going, still racing so well.’’
Kepitis conceded Lindermann wasn’t an elite Group 1 horse but he continued to race well at the top level.
“We know with Lindermann he will always try his hardest,’’ Kepitis said.
“To see him run so well in the Apollo Stakes, to lead the pack for so long, we could not have been more proud of him.’’
• Clinton Payne’s runner-by-runner analysis plus tips for 2025 Verry Elleegant Stakes
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FRANK Cleary, the master Queanbeyan trainer who prepared Catbird to win the 1999 Golden Slipper, is making a rare foray back to city racing with My Last Hooray in the TAB Highway (1000m).
Cleary was in virtual retirement when he was convinced by his close friend and former Canberra Raiders chairman John McIntyre, to take on one more horse.
“I told John I’ve had enough of training but he said I should take on this horse by Harry Angel,’’ Cleary said.
“I’d never heard of Harry Angel at the time but I looked at the horse’s pedigree and he was closely related to Catbird on the dam’s side.
“So, I said I would train the horse and that is how we came up with the name, ‘My Last Hooray’.’’
• Family pride at stake for Willaidow’s trainer in Liverpool City Cup
After two handy efforts as a two-year-old, My Last Hooray was spelled before returning in spring and reeling off three successive wins at Queanbeyan (twice) and Goulburn.
“He’s a smart horse with lots of natural speed,’’ Cleary said.
“After he won three on the trot, I thought we would give him a break and he’s returned a stronger horse.
“It’s hard to get a line on Highway form because they come from everywhere but he’s ready to run a good race.’’
Cleary only has two horses in work these days – the other is an unraced two-year-old – and Last Hooray is the first runner he has had in the metropolitan area since Social Smile ran fifth in a Randwick Highway nearly four years ago to the day.
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BJORN Baker’s sensational summer of success has netted an extraordinary 67 winners on all racetracks since December 1 last year.
Before the final night meeting at Canterbury on Friday night, Baker had trained 39 city winners during the same period to storm into outright second on the Sydney trainers premiership with 55 wins behind Chris Waller on 91 wins with five months of the 2024-25 season remaining.
Baker has another strong entry at Royal Randwick including classy stayer Arapaho in the Verry Elleegant Stakes, top two-year-old filly Within The Law in the Group 2 $300,000 Sweet Embrace Stakes and the consistent Iowna Merc in the Group 3 $250,000 Liverpool City Cup.
The Warwick Farm-based trainer is also chasing Group 1 success at Flemington with talented three-year-old Point And Shoot in the $1 million Australian Guineas.
100 up! 🆠OUR ANCHORAGE makes it 4ï¸âƒ£ in a row with a gritty Gr 3 Parramatta Cup win. We’ve unlocked this Galileo import: more work, more variety = more results
— Bjorn Baker Racing (@BBakerRacing) February 22, 2025
Congrats to Team @Darby_Racing - can find ‘em!
Lovely from @AshMorgan6
Great way to bring up win #100 for the season! pic.twitter.com/MIy3OZ5Xyi
• Ray & Duff’s Randwick Saturday tips, analysis: $3.50 best bet, $9 value pick
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SOUTHPORT Tycoon, the dual Group 1 winner of nearly $2.5 million who is related on his dam’s side to the legendary American superhorse Secretariat, has run his last race and will retire to stand at Widden’s Victorian stud.
Widden Stud supremo Antony Thompson described Southport Tycoon as a “stunning-looking son of Written Tycoon”.
“We fought hard to secure the horse, as there was plenty of competition for the Bennett Racing-owned colt,’’ said Thompson, who confirmed Southport Tycoon had been retired immediately.
“He looks like the obvious stallion to take the baton from his champion sire, Written Tycoon.
— Widden (@widdenstud) February 27, 2025
• Saturday Market Movers: Flemington runner backed from $3 into $2.25
Thompson pointed out that Written Tycoon was making a name for himself as a sire of sires with his only other dual Group 1-winning son at stud, Ole Kirk, getting his stallion career off to a very good start this season.
The Ciaron Maher-trained Southport Tycoon won the first of his majors almost 12 months ago to the day when he claimed the Australian Guineas, beating Group 1 winners Veight and Riff Rocket, before returning in spring to win the Manikato Stakes.
“Southport Tycoon’s data was off the charts, possessing a stride length and speed profile that’s only exhibited by exceptional horses,’’ Maher said.
“He’s just an elite athlete, with a fantastic temperament and incredible recovery powers that made him a dream to train.’’
In 2024 @ciaronmaherracing’s Southport Tycoon came out on top in the Howden Australian Guineas ðŸ‡
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) February 25, 2025
Who will take the crown this Saturday in the 40th running of the 1600m Group 1?#AusGuineas#Flemingtonpic.twitter.com/0QQyJsk1VE
• Tips from the big bookies: Verry Elleegant Stakes Day, Australian Guineas Day
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5 YEARS AGO
Te Akau Shark, trained by Jamie Richards and ridden by Opie Bosson, finished fast to edge out Verry Elleegant to win the Chipping Norton Stakes at Royal Randwick. Verry Elleegant trained on to win the race the next two years and the Group 1 contest has been renamed in her honour. Richards and Bosson then combined with Probabeel to win the Group 1 Surround Stakes. Mamaragan won the Skyline Stakes on debut and Hungry Heart won the Sweet Embrace Stakes. The David Vandyke-trained Alligator Blood was a brilliant Australian Guineas winner at Flemington.
He's done it!
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 29, 2020
The TAB Chipping Norton belongs to Te Akau Shark - and it's a G1 double for @JamieRichards3 and @opie_bosson 🦈🦈🦈🦈@TeAkauRacingpic.twitter.com/GYAQjRED6a
10 YEARS AGO
Trainer John O’Shea won his first Group 1 for Godolphin and celebrated with a stable quinella when Contributer defeated Hartnell in the Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm. First Seal, trained by John Thompson, won the Surround Stakes with emerging champion Winx finishing fifth. Godohpin’s Exosphere won the Skyline and Always Allison won the Sweet Embrace. Gai Waterhouse’s Wandjina won the Australian Guineas.
20 YEARS AGO
Grand Armee, trained by Gai Waterhouse, was in great form during the 2005 autumn and followed his Apollo Stakes win by taking out the Chipping Norton Stakes from Court’s In Session and Winning Belle. Lotteria, winner of the Flight Stakes by seven lengths the previous spring, resumed in the Surround Stakes and maintained her unbeaten record with a comfortable win. The brilliant Snitzel sped away with the Skyline Stakes and Carry On Cutie won the Sweet Embrace. Waterhouse’s Al Maher won the Australian Guineas.
Originally published as ‘This is Lady Shenandoah’s race to lose’: Form guru declares filly in 2025 Surround Stakes
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