Lady Shenandoah has won the $1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington for James McDonald and Chris Waller, but the Group 1 was overshadowed by a heavy fall that has left Melbourne Cup jockey Harry Coffey in serious doubt for Tuesday.
Starting the $1.85 favourite from barrier eight, Lady Shenandoah beat Concord Connie (Craig Williams, Charlotte Littlefield) by 1.5 lengths, with Idle Flyer (Mark Zahra, Matthew Smith) third and Sass Appeal (Damian Lane, Danny O’Brien) fourth, according to the official result.
The win completed a Victoria Derby and Empire Rose double for McDonald, who won the Derby on Stormy Marco half an hour earlier, and was the mare’s fifth Group 1, following her Toorak Handicap win at Caulfield, Just Horse Racing reported.
“It was an armchair ride,” McDonald said. “She’s just come on and on and she deserves this.”
Harry Coffey hurt in Pondalowie fall
Coffey was thrown from Pondalowie at the top of the straight. Nine reported that he walked into the jockeys’ room without major assistance, and no other runners were caught up in the fall.
Read more: Empire Rose Stakes 2026 Field: Lady Shenandoah Draws Barrier Eight
The Victorian Jockeys’ Association later said Coffey had a suspected fractured collarbone and was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital for scans, according to Betsy.com.au. Pondalowie was checked by Racing Victoria vets and cleared of any injuries.
Coffey is booked to ride the Ciaron Maher-trained mare Shockletz, who carries 51kg in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 3 November. If he can’t ride, Maher will need a jockey who can make that light weight. No replacement had been announced at the time of writing.
Empire Rose Stakes 2026 result
- 1st: Lady Shenandoah (James McDonald, Chris Waller), $1.85
- 2nd: Concord Connie (Craig Williams, Charlotte Littlefield), 1.5 lengths
- 3rd: Idle Flyer (Mark Zahra, Matthew Smith), 3.25 lengths
- 4th: Sass Appeal (Damian Lane, Danny O’Brien), 3.5 lengths
- 5th: Surfin’ Bird (Blake Shinn, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott), 6.25 lengths
Margins are lengths behind the winner. Eleven ran, and Pondalowie did not finish after the fall. RaceHub also lists Lady Shenandoah as the winner.
Read more: Golden Eagle 2026: Skyhook Wins as Sheza Alibi Beaten
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