Favourite Stormy Marco won the Victoria Derby by two lengths, and Lady Shenandoah took the Empire Rose, giving Chris Waller and James McDonald two of Derby Day's three Group 1s.
Chris Waller and James McDonald had another big day at Flemington on Saturday. Stormy Marco won the $3 million Victoria Derby (2500m) and Lady Shenandoah won the Empire Rose Stakes, so the pair took two of the three Group 1s on Derby Day.
Stormy Marco proves he stays
Stormy Marco started favourite at $4.40 and ran away from his rivals in the straight to win by two lengths. It was his first Group 1 win and only the second win from eight starts. He had run fourth in the Spring Champion Stakes only a week earlier, and the step up to 2500m clearly suited him.
Roughie Cold Shower ($101), from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, ran a big race to finish second. Quick Finish ($21) was third, the first filly to run in the Derby in 36 years. Murshidi was fourth.
Waller and McDonald also won the Derby together in 2023 with Riff Rocket.
Lady Shenandoah does it again
Lady Shenandoah went in as a short-priced favourite at $1.85 in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) and won by a length and a half. Concord Connie and Idle Flyer filled the placings. It was her second Group 1 in a fortnight after the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield, and her fifth Group 1 win overall. It was also Waller's fourth Empire Rose, and his third with McDonald.
Derby Day Group 1 results
- Victoria Derby: Stormy Marco (Chris Waller / James McDonald), then Cold Shower and Quick Finish
- Empire Rose Stakes: Lady Shenandoah (Chris Waller / James McDonald), then Concord Connie and Idle Flyer
- Coolmore Stud Stakes: The Next Episode (Ciaron Maher / Mark Zahra), then St Gotthard and Mbube
The punting angle
Watch the Waller fillies on Thursday. De Armas won the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes, the traditional lead-up to the Oaks, and the stable says she is entered for Thursday's Oaks. The fancied Waller fillies Tharwa and Your Colour both finished well back in the Wakeful, so the stable's Oaks hopes may now sit with De Armas. Also note that McDonald rides Trustyourinstinct in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup, and he is in top form.