A year after being knighted, Sir Brendan Lindsay, and his wife Lady Jo, will head to England to fulfil a royal engagement – watching their multiple Group One winner Joliestar compete at Royal Ascot.
Sir Brendan, who was recognised in last year’s King’s Birthday honours for his services to business and philanthropy, owns iconic thoroughbred nursery Cambridge Stud alongside his wife, and the couple have enjoyed plenty of success on the track.
Their familiar gold and black checked silks have been carried by the likes of Group One winners Probabeel, Kahma Lass, Pinarello and Joliestar, with the latter currently taking them on a great ride.
The Lindsays purchased Joliestar out of Segenhoe Thoroughbreds’ 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft for A$950,000 and she was subsequently entrusted to the care of leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller.
The now five-year-old mare has been a standout for the expat Kiwi, for whom she has won 10 of her 21 starts, including five at Group One level.
She earned her latest Group One scalp at Randwick on Saturday in the Gr.1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m), with her performance sealing her ticket to England in June to compete at Royal Ascot.
The Northern Hemisphere raid has been on the cards for some time and Waller was pleased his mare put in a worthy performance to give her connections the confidence to press forward with their plan.
“A lot of thought has gone into it (Royal Ascot) well before today. It has all been mapped out and we just needed her to run well today to cement her place on the flight,” Waller said.
“She has only run in the best races right from a three-year-old where she won a Guineas, and she has been a model of consistency since.
“She has just come into her own and is racing with so much maturity and confidence.
“There is nothing better than going there (Royal Ascot) with an in form and confident horse. She will fly the flag for Australasia.”
Success at Royal Ascot is nothing new to Waller, who won the Gr.1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) four years ago with Nature Strip.
Fellow expat James McDonald has formed a formidable partnership with Waller, and he was glad to once again to be in the saddle on Saturday to guide Joliestar to another elite-level success in Cambridge Stud’s silks.
“She is flying, she has had the best prep of her life and that’s indicated with her form line,” McDonald said.
“She is just a wonderful sprinter and the horse herself has just been a marvel. It is just nice to ride a mare in form that is doing the job.
“The connections are obviously Kiwis and it is always good to team up with them.”
Waller said Joliestar will now be freshened and will do the majority of her preparation in Australia before flying out to England where she will likely contest the Gr.1 Jubilee Stakes (1200m).
“She will have a bit of downtime now and we will work back from Ascot and do our normal jumpouts and trials,” Waller said. “She goes so well fresh, so she will represent us all well – Australia and New Zealand.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
