Champion trainer Chris Waller has done a lot of amazing things, but a Group I trifecta is still pretty special and it happened at Randwick on Saturday with Waller stablemates Joliestar, Beiwacht and Lady Shenandoah filling the placings in the $750,000 Group I ATC Canterbury Stakes (1300m).
Joliestar was electric winning the Group II ATC Expressway Stakes first up from a spell last month beating Caballus, who came out at Flemington today to win the Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap, a race Joliestar won last year.
Ridden by James McDonald, Joliestar settled just behind the leaders and had clear air to launch her finishing sprint, charging home to beat Beiwacht, who made the running and kicked on well with Lady Shenandoah dashing up late from back in the field.
Royal Ascot is very much the end game for the Cambridge Stud owned Joliestar at present and this win takes her one step closer to her goal.
“It was a beautiful ride. She had a nice draw, so everything set up well. She’s just come back really well, she’s a more mature horse. She knows her job and just does it well,” said Waller, who is programming her towards Royal Ascot.
“We know the date she’s leaving and everything like that, so that’s how far we’ve gone into the program. Every race you’ve got to come back safe and do the little things right and keep her good form.
“She will have one more run, that’s the TJ (Smith) back to 1200m and then on the plane.”
A $950,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay from the Segenhoe Thoroughbreds draft, Joliestar has the impressive record of nine wins and seven placings from 20 starts with prizemoney topping $7.1million.
Bred by Chris and Jane Barham, Joliestar is a half-sister to stakes-placed God Of Thunder and Emperor and is the best of six winners from top-class Fastnet Rock mare Jolie Bay.
The Group II ATC Roman Consul Stakes winner and runner-up in the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes, Jolie Bay, is a sister to dual Group I winner Merchant Navy, Listed winner Setanta, and stakes-placed Zara Bay, the dam of Group II winner Airman.
Jolie Bay has a yearling filly by Anamoe that was sold by Segenhoe Stud at Magic Millions for $470,000 to Cambridge Stud, which looks like a comparative bargain.
Jolie Bay produced a colt by Zoustar last spring that is a full brother to Joliestar and she was then covered by Too Darn Hot (GB).
With four G1 wins and over $7.1million, Joliestar is the highest stake earner for champion sire Zoustar.
