Lady Shenandoah won the Group I Coolmore Classic at Rosehill on Saturday, as favourite, so no real surprise, but what might surprise is the rare air she now sits within, and the question becomes where might it finish?.
The details of the race were that her rider James McDonald found a spot one off the fence midfield and produced Lady Shenandoah at the right time where she finished too strongly to narrowly beat Firestorm (Satono Aladdin) with Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) third.
They ran a blistering 1.27.38 for trhe 1500m. Only one-tenth of a second off the course record, which was set by Shindig in the Coolmore of 1998.
“She wasn’t entitled to win, she was all out at the 100m,” said McDonald.
“And she was worked up prior to the start which was a bit of a concern. Just whether that was her home track. But we were able to take a couple of minutes where she took a breath around at the start.
“She began well and fitted in and showed her quality fighting spirit.
“I think that she is a fast filly and as she gets older and starts filling out into her frame I think that she will come back in trip and be even faster.
For a race with a rich history, run at the same time every year, over the same course and distance, attracting the best of the talent, it’s worth noting that Lady Shenandoah is the first three-year-old filly to win the Coolmore since Typhoon Tracy in 2009.
And the last filly able to carry more weight to victory was Assertive Lass in 1997.
In the last 40 years there have only been 25 fillies finish their three-year-old season with three or more Group One wins to their name:
Bounding Away - 6
Slight Chance - 6
Miss Finland - 5
Triscay - 5
Alinghi - 4
Grand Archway - 4
Guelph - 4
Mosheen - 4
Research - 4
Darjina - 3
Hoeberg - 3
Lady Shenandoah - 3
Northwood Plume - 3
Paraca - 3
Riverina Charm - 3
Samantha Miss - 3
Serenade Rose - 3
Shoals - 3
Snap - 3
Special Harmony - 3
Spirit Of Kingston - 3
Sunlight - 3
Tidal Light - 3
Tycoon Lil - 3
Yosei - 3
If Lady Shenandoah does nothing more, she’s done more than enough.
But with her unfurnished frame and raw talent, one senses there is more.
Her trainer Chris Waller is patient, likes a pattern and likes longevity, as he showed famously with Winx. He announced her to the paddock to prepare for the spring immediately after the race.
Lady Shenandoah came to the top grade considered a second stringer, but those days are gone. The air can only become rarer from here.
