Lady Shenandoah and James McDonald made it an armchair ride in the Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington for Chris Waller, beating Concord Connie by a length and a half with Idle Flyer third, in a race where Pondalowie fell. Here’s what the jockeys said.
It is always important to hear what the jockeys say after the race, as you can forgive a horse’s bad run or even find a winner next start, so head to the post-race comments below.
PONDALOWIE (Harry Coffey) – Fell
No comment available.
UNLEESHING (Jason Collett) – 10th
She never travelled today at all. Wasn’t herself and what happened at the top of the straight the nail in the coffin.
SALTY PEARL (Ben Allen) – 9th
A little bit of a confusing run. She travelled good throughout but when I needed her she emptied out quite quick.
Read more: Victoria Derby 2026: Stormy Marco Wins for Waller
JENNI MULTABELLA (Declan Bates) – 8th
She’s actually ran a good race. Very good ability. Just a few things to work on still but a lot of improvement to come.
CILACAP (Michael Dee) – 7th
She held her own up the straight. From about the 800 we were in tight quarters. She didn’t like that too much. If we had a bit more room on the home turn, she probably runs a bit better.
PILLOW FIGHT (William Pike) – 6th
Led and controlled but felt under pressure the whole way.
SURFIN’ BIRD (Blake Shinn) – 5th
Had a tough run but didn’t (I) really have the horse any stage.
Read more: Coolmore Stud Stakes 2026: The Next Episode Wins for Maher
SASS APPEAL (Damian Lane) – 4th
Usual honest race. She left it all out there. Proud of her.
IDLE FLYER (Mark Zahra) – 3rd
She ran well. Followed Lady Shenandoah. She was too good but (mine was) good enough to run third.
CONCORD CONNIE (Craig Williams) – 2nd
Very pleased with that. Charlotte Littlefield has done a great job. We always felt that she brought the X-Factor to today. Surely running into Lady Shenandoah at weight-for-age conditions, now she’s won five group ones and our filly is the new one on the block and I’m looking forward to seeing what Charlotte does with her now.
LADY SHENANDOAH (James McDonald) – 1st
It was an armchair ride. The only worrying part was that she jumped out so well and she wanted to get on with the job, she was pretty well. So I had to give her just ‘a, hey, come back quickly’ instead of running through the bridle. But it was the only worrying part of the whole race.
She’s just come on and on and she deserves this. Obviously, it’s hard with Autumn Glow around the same sort of trip and Autumn Glow’s got her measure, but she’s just so honest, always races to a high level.
You know what you’re going to get with her is a solid performance. You’d love to own her and I love riding her.
Now she’s won a Toorak with 58 (kilograms), that’s incredible and then she’s gone back to mare’s grade and won really well. One thing about her she’ll always run to a very high level so for horses to get to her she won’t decrease, she just turns up and gets the job done.
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More News
- Victoria Derby 2026: Stormy Marco Wins for Waller
- Coolmore Stud Stakes 2026: The Next Episode Wins for Maher
- Victoria Derby Winners: Every Winner Since 1855 and Race Records
- Melbourne Cup Winners: Every Winner Since 1861 and Race Records
- Racing Form Guide
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