Chris Waller celebrates special win with Amelita

Posted by RS NewsWire at 4:56pm on November 8th

Chris Waller was back in the winner’s stall on a big day with colours he will forever be associated with after Amelita continued her progression with a maiden Stakes win in the Red Roses Stakes at Flemington on Oaks Day.

The three-year-old claimed the $300,000 Group 3 at just her fifth start, and two starts after breaking her maiden at Canterbury on a Wednesday, when the beneficiary of magical James Mcdonald ride in the 1100-metre event.

Amelita is raced by a group headed up by Peter Tighe, meaning she carries the blue and white Magic Bloodstock colours that Winx also raced under, and Waller always gets a kick of seeing them in the winner’s stall.

“It’s very special to me, Peter Tighe and ourselves got a group together and there’s some really nice owners in it,” Waller said.

“People love having runners Cup Week, so if you can find a horse that has got a nice progression forward and can come down here when they’re not burnt out, that’s a big help.”

Winx is most famous for her four Cox Plate wins at Moonee Valley, but she was also a dual winner of the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.

McDonald weaved a path through the field from the inside barrier aboard the $11 betting app chance to reel in his rivals in the final furlong of the Red Roses Stakes and race away for a three-quarters-of-a-length win over Vestas ($6.50), who nosed out Bridal Waltz ($13) for second placing.

It was McDonald’s sixth win of the Melbourne Cup Carnival after a Derby Day treble and two early wins on Melbourne Cup Day and a fourth Cup Week win for Waller.

Amelita, a daughter of Zoustar’s son Zousain, failed to place in two starts in late-autumn but has come back a much better horse in spring and has Waller excited about what is to come.

“There was enough confidence to down come here with her and pick up a nice race to up her value and most importantly to give her some confidence,” Waller, who celebrated his first win in the Red Roses Stakes, said.

“We see her as a nice filly going forward by Zousain, who I trained – a son of Zoustar, so it’s a bit of a family affair.”

More Racing News

Trainer Matt Laurie Treasures VRC Oaks Moment

Trainer Matt Laurie admitted to being quite nervous ahead of the Crown Oaks, but in the end it was a painless watch as his filly Treasurethe Moment triumphed at Flemington. Just as she did in the traditional Oaks lead-up in the Wakeful Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Saturday, Treasurethe Moment scored a comprehensive...

Yesterday

Third time lucky for Yellow Brick in Sydney

Queensland training partners Tony and Maddysen Sears haven’t enjoyed the best of luck in previous Sydney visits with Yellow Brick, but all will be forgotten if the horse can deliver them a $2 million windfall in the Five Diamonds at Rosehill. The father and daughter team brought the horse south for a...

Yesterday

Gear change gives Rustic Steel winning edge in Ladies Day Cup

Rustic Steel has stamped his class on the Ladies Day Cup at Hawkesbury, reacting to a key gear change to deliver trainer Kris Lees his first win in the Listed feature. Successful in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) during the autumn, the seven-year-old had resumed with an encouraging midfield effort in the...

Yesterday

Chris Waller mares right for Champions Stakes

Chris Waller hopes the decision to bypass the Melbourne Cup with Via Sistina will be vindicated in another Group 1 success at Flemington. The Champions Stakes (2000m) on Saturday will see Via Sistina line up with stablemate Atishu against another 10 opponents. Waller said the decision to miss the Melbourne Cup following Via Sistina’s record...

Yesterday

Peaking Magic Time spells danger for rivals in Hot Danish Stakes

Grahame Begg is banking on improved fitness levels and a different circuit helping Magic Time turn the tables on Belclare when the pair face a rematch in the Hot Danish Stakes. Magic Time tried hard but was unable to reel in Belclare in The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick last start, finishing just over a...

Yesterday

Electric Impulse collects big prize in the Melbourne Cup Carnival

Electric Impulse had to win a $500,000 race twice, once out on the racetrack at Flemington and the second time in the stewards’ room. The Henry Dwyer-trained Electric Impulse had to overcome the second widest barrier in the capacity field to contest the Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) on Tuesday. Charging at...

Yesterday

Trainer Matt Smith chooses softer option for French Endeavour

Matt Smith has opted to dodge taking on the better mares in the Hot Danish Stakes in favour of a benchmark assignment as he bids to get another win on the board for French Endeavour. The four-year-old has been scratched from Saturday’s Group 2 assignment in preference for the Kia Ora...

Yesterday

Attrition drawn to advantage in The Five Diamonds

A rare stroke of fortune ahead of a big race has been gratefully accepted by trainer Mitchell Freedman as he prepares Attrition for the second leg of his two-part Sydney mission. Having drawn closer to the outside than the inside at his past 10 starts, Attrition has landed barrier five for Saturday’s Five...

Yesterday

Berkeley Square out for Queen Elizabeth Stakes success

Melbourne Cup plans can be years in the making and Ballarat trainer Dan O’Sullivan is already thinking about next year’s race at Flemington. The Melbourne Cup (3200m) is still more than 360 days away, but O’Sullivan’s stayer Berkeley Square will pass an important qualifying clause if he can run top three in the...

Yesterday

Baraqiel set to make G1 debut in Champions Sprint

Not many horses, especially older geldings, go from winning a maiden to Group 1 success in one campaign, but that is what the Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin-trained Baraqiel will attempt to do at Flemington. A maiden winner on debut at Sale in May, Baraqiel heads to the big league...

Yesterday