Listed placed at 2, Written Tycoon filly Lady Catalina continued the winning run of the Ciaron Maher yard, recording her first black type victory in the $300,000 G3 VRC Red Roses Stakes (1100m).
With a few issues at the barriers resulting in two late withdrawals including Lady Catalina’s more favoured stablemate Calamari Ring, it was the Chris Waller trained Sequinned who jumped away the short-priced favourite down the straight.
Flying the gates under Blake Shinn, Lady Catlina took up the running with Determined Rose settling on her outside while the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton trained Scintillation was closer to the inside.
Favourite Sequined with James McDonald in the saddle settled with just three behind her in the run.
Approaching the 350m mark, Lady Catalina was still under a hold by Shinn as Sequinned had been pulled out into clear running to commence her challenge.
Just when it looked as if Sequinned would go straight past the leader, Lady Catalina showed the fight we were accustomed to from her dam Away Game, holding off all challengers to record her first black type victory in a tight finish.
It doesn't get much closer than that ?? LADY CATALINA gets her nose in front on the line to claim the Group 3 Crown Red Roses Stakes. #OaksDay https://t.co/CCrQWYoKlx
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 5, 2026
Fresh from training five of the first six home in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, Ciaron Maher knows the family all too well.
“She’s out of a great mare that we trained, Away Game,” said Maher. “She’s justified her price now. Can’t thank the team. Had a beautiful ride by Blake.”
“I thought we got beat. This horse races in John Stewart’s colours, Resolute Racing, and we paid a pretty penny for her at the Magic Millions sale. $1.8 million.
“I told him to send her forward. She doesn’t round off her races that she’s tough. Well, she did round off her race today, but her biggest asset is to go quick. He timed it to perfection.”
“You think you’re going too quick, but you’re not. She toughed it out well.”
Lady Catalina was ridden for the first time by Shinn who followed his pre-race instructions aboard the filly.
“Ciaron instructed me just to let her roll and she jumped super, probably the first out and was just able to get her into that nice rhythm and she was able to just absorb pressure and then build off that.
“I was able to keep probably a length up my sleeve when the other horses challenged me and then she was able to find and just save a little bit for the end.
“Beautiful filly, really just got a great demeanour about her and characteristics and obviously well-bred and great to get a winner in these Resolute Racing colours. Big investors in America and it's great to see them here in Australia.
“I tried to save a little bit for the last hundred.
“Obviously Sequinned was a well-touted favourite. She came at me to win but because we rolled in a good gallop we probably took a little bit of their stamina out of them trying to get to me and I had a little bit there for the finish and she needed to be strong late and she was and full credit to my horse, she did it both ends and I think the best horse won.”
Securing a valuable black type win, Lady Catalina took her record to two wins and two placed efforts from nine starts with earnings of $272,500.
Bred by Yulong, who offered the filly at the 2025 Magic Millions yearling sale, Lady Catalina was purchased in partnership between her trainer (who also trained her dam), along with John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock, whose silks she races in.
The daughter of Champion Sire Written Tycoon is the first foal of the G2-winning, G1 placed Champion 2YO Filly Away Game, who Yulong purchased as a broodmare prospect for $4m at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Away Game has a 2yo colt by Written Tycoon who was passed in shy of his $500,000 Magic Millions yerling reserve erlier this year, a yearling filly by Pierata and unfortunately slipped to both Written Tycoon and First Settler last year so there will be no foal this season.
Interestingly, last year's running of the race saw Point Barrow secure her first black type victory, with that filly going on to claim a further three stakes races and heads to Saturday's $3m G1 VRC Champions Sprint (1200m) off the back of two impressive wins.
Lady Catalina became the 83rd stakes winner for Yulong’s Written Tycoon, whose chestnut son Skyhook saluted in the recent running of $10m G1 ATC Golden Eagle.
