The Toronado (IRE) mare Mariamia completed her rapid ascent to the top rung of sprinters when successful in the $1,000,000 Group 1 Kia Ora Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Tyler Schiller celebrated his first Group 1 winner as Mariamia defeated the Cable Bay gelding Uncommon James by a lengths with the 3yo Capitalist colt Cannonball a half-length back in third.
The Group II Expressway Stakes winner on January 28, the Joe Pride-trained mare, bounced back after a slightly disappointing fourth in the Group II Millie Fox Stakes won by Electric Girl.
“She didn’t see the 1300m out the other day but freshened up and back to a sprint trip, she was really dynamic there today,” Pride said.
“That’s her crowning moment, she’s won a Galaxy now.
“It’s a long process, but it’s about having the right team around your horse. There’s plenty of very good trainers out there that are doing their best with their horses as well. For me, we specialise in taking these horses on that maybe need a little bit of rejuvenating, getting the right people around them, and I just relish the task of taking on a horse who maybe someone else has given up on.
“She’s a bonny mare, just great to see her do that there today to state the obvious. She’s been going so well all preparation, and just that run at 1300m it stretched her out with a really quick tempo, and she didn’t really get her chance to finish off that day.
“Given that quiet run in behind them today with no weight on her back and a great reward for Tyler (Schiller), I know he’ll really appreciate that. He rode more winners for me last season than anyone else, and to be able to give him a reward like that it’ll be pretty special for him, and it’s certainly special for us.”
Tyler Schiller revealed the victory had extra special meaning.
“My dad, he’s got cancer. All he wanted to see was for me to win a Group 1 and to come out and do it today, it was unreal,” Schiller revealed.
“It’s the best feeling in the world, to do it on a mare like that. She’s come through the grades really sharply and Joe (Pride) has turned her around, but gee she’s a good mare.
“She jumped well, put herself in the spot. When I quickened up on the inside of Eduardo I thought I was home, she did the rest.
“I thought it was inevitable at 100m, she was doing it easy, no one was catching her. To see her freeball for the last 200m, she’s a super mare, and I am very grateful to Joe (Pride) and the connections for putting me on. I can’t believe I won a Group 1.”
Newhaven Park Stud’s six-year-old Toronado mare Mariamia advances her record to eight three seven from 37 starts with earnings of $1,135,510.
Mariamia, was purchased by Newhaven Park for $335,000 off Shane Stockdale at the 2022 Inglis March (Early) Online Sale. She was an $18,000 purchase from the Swettenham Stud draft from book 2 of the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Mariamia is the best of two winners from three to race for the Encosta de Lago mare Quinta Lago.
A sister to Group II-placed Halekulani and a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 VRC Derby hero Warning (Declaration of War), Quinta Lago was dropped from official records in 2020.
Bred by Adam Sangster, Mariamia is the second consecutive winner of the Galaxy for Toronado (IRE) after Shelby Sixty Six and is the fourth Group 1 winner for the son of High Chaparral (IRE).
