Lady Shenandoah set for Group 1 showdown after dominant first-up win in Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick

Lady Shenandoah is now an odds-on favourite for the Group 1 Surround Stakes after her brilliant first-up win despite the possible presence of unbeaten stablemate Autumn Glow.

Lady Shenandoah cruises home to win the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick. Picture: Getty Images

Brilliant filly Lady Shenandoah laid down the gauntlet to her Group 1 Surround Stakes rivals with an arrogant return triumph at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey Zac Lloyd delivered a masterclass as the Chris Waller-trained filly made a first-up statement to salute in the Group 2 $300,000 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).

“You don’t get that feeling often,” Lloyd said.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

“She is a pleasure to ride and it’s an honour to ride these types of horses for Mr Waller.

“I am happy I could get the job done, but she makes my life easier.”

Lloyd was drawn awkward but found himself perfectly poised to pounce just behind the speed.

Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot ($3.10) gave him something to catch when they hit the top of the straight but Lady Shenandoah ($2.40 favourite) always loomed ominously.

She rounded up the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained inside the final furlong and was eased down late, prevailing by 1¼ lengths.

Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald’s Lilac ($16) was third.

“She just glides over the ground, she’s got the most efficient action,” Lloyd said.

“She came around that bend and you just feel like it’s ‘game over’.

“I think she is a very nice filly.”

Waller’s assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth was in awe of Lady Shenandoah and her pilot Lloyd.

“She is obviously an incredible athlete and was aided by an absolutely stunning ride by Zac,” Duckworth said.

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

• ‘A plan well pulled off’: Inhibitions lands her first stakes in Triscay

“He got her in a beautiful position from what could have been a slightly sticky draw and she has gone about her business beautifully and she has accelerated.

“Lady of Camelot is no slouch to try and run past in the concluding stages and she seems to have done it with a bit in hand.

“She gets up over a lot further than the 1200 so to do it first-up, she is going to take a world of beating next start.”

Lady Shenandoah was somewhat overshadowed by her boom unbeaten stablemate Autumn Glow during the spring but was still a brilliant winner of both starts.

She won the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality before scoring a dominant victory in the Group 1 Flight Stakes where Autumn Glow had to be scratched due to a setback.

They could be set to clash for the first time in the Group 1 $750,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) in two weeks’ time.

Lady Shenandoah was slashed from $3.50 into $1.80 outright favourite for the three-year-old event.

Autumn Glow is the $6 second elect and will head to the race first-up if she’s ready in time for the fillies’ test.

"She's going to take a world of beating next start!"@CRDuckworth and @ZacLloydx praised Lady Shenandoah after her awesome win in the TAB Light Fingers today!@cwallerracing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/sCmCQbLxCl

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 15, 2025

• Trainer swaps Boot for Slipper with unbeaten Shaggy

“Zac is probably quite lucky because he would probably think James (McDonald) will come back for the Surround and knock him off but at least if Autumn Glow is there, they will have to have one each,” Duckworth said.

“It’s very hard to work out how they measure up against each other until they face each other.

“Providing Autumn Glow can get there in time (she will go there), she has only had the one trial and been on a bit on back foot as a result.

“She will have another trial next week and we will assess if she can get there in time.”

Waller-trained fillies Lazzura (fourth), Amelita (sixth) and Declichy Boulevard (seventh) all ran well in the Light Fingers and will also push on to the Surround Stakes.

Jockey Tim Clark thought Lady Of Camelot “ran really well” after leading the field up and only finding one better in the finish.

Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Manaal ($7.50) was a drifter in Surround Stakes betting after finishing in the back half of the field.

Jockey Jason Collett said he was “a bit disappointed” in her performance.

“She didn’t travel like she should have and just didn’t have the horse there when I needed it,” he said.

Originally published as Lady Shenandoah set for Group 1 showdown after dominant first-up win in Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick