Waller-McDonald combo strike again in Adelaide

ADELAIDE – Chris Waller is one win away from joining an exclusive club, after Panova delivered his 199th Group 1 victory in the A$1 million (S$919,000) Australasian Oaks (2,000m) at Morphettville on April 25.

Only two Australian trainers, TJ Smith and Bart Cummings, have produced the winners of more than 200 major races. The legendary pair finished their illustrious careers with 246 apiece.

Panova’s success also took Waller to 19 Group 1 victories this season, equalling the national record he set during the 2024-25 season.

The premier Sydney trainer says getting to the magical 200 milestone has not been his focus and he is simply thrilled to see Panova return to the winner’s list after being a run behind all preparation.

“She had a temperature at the start of autumn, and we don’t want to push them. We gave her time,” said Waller.

“But as a result she was a bit bigger, and we all know about that.

“Once you get out of shape, it’s hard to get back in shape, whether you’re a racehorse or a person, so we’ve just worked away, we haven’t rushed her, and she’s got there today.”

The daughter of Trapeze Artist had been racing well in stakes company in Sydney without winning. Her last victory came in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1,600m) on Nov 1, 2025.

Winning jockey James McDonald felt a return to racing in the left-handed direction aided Panova, and was delighted to land his first Group 1 win in Adelaide.

The breakthrough followed a hugely successful Sydney autumn carnival for the champion hoop in which he rode 10 Group 1 winners.

“It’s an honour to be here,” he said. “To win one of the nice Oaks, I enjoy winning classics.

“They’re one of my favourites, rich in history and this race is no different.”

Waller indicated Panova’s preparation might just be getting started, with the three-year-old filly in the mix to continue towards the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2,200m) at Eagle Farm on June 6.

“She is very adaptable. A talented horse,” he said.

“We started a long way behind the eight ball, and she has caught up now. She will train on from it and might even get to the Queensland Oaks.”

Panova ($64) swept down the outside from back in the field to score by a length over Mating Call (Jamie Melham) with Paltrow Miss (Craig Williams) in third.

A race later in the A$1 million Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1,200m), former Tasmanian mare Geegees Mistruth sprung a huge surprise in her first win for former four-time Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker.

Formerly trained by Stuart Gandy, the Wordsmith four-year-old won two stakes races as a two-year-old before placing in three Melbourne Group races in the spring of 2024.

She added another pair of Group 3 races to her resume before transferring to the care of Walker at Cranbourne, placing in four of her six starts without luck on occasion, atoning with the narrowest of victories this time.

Given a sweet run by Jordan Childs, the $138 longshot lunged at Bridal Waltz (Ben Melham) right on the line to score by a nose, with the barest of margins back to reigning Sangster winner Charm Stone (Mark Zahra) in third.

Flying For Fun (Zac Lloyd) was beaten a ½ head by the winner in fourth in a thrilling four-way go.

Walker’s assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said it was a relief to break through with Geegees Mistruth.

“Her journey this spring and the autumn just sums up racing. It’s a lot of lows, but when the highs happen, they’re worth it,” he said.

“This filly arrived in our care back in the spring, and she came over in great order. Stuart Gandy, who has done all the work with her as a young horse, has done a wonderful job.

“We just sort of thought, God, when are we going to get some luck with her? At least we got her when it counted most.

“She just peeled off their backs and I thought, ‘Oh, here we go’.

“She very rarely changes legs, and you sort of saw her do it for the first time in a long time.

“Credit to Jordy – he got his hands down in her neck and got the head down when it counted.”

The win was Childs’ second at the top level, eight years after his first Group 1 triumph in the 2018 Blue Diamond Stakes (1,200m) aboard Written By.

“It’s been a long time between drinks,” he said.

“Written By in 2018, I’ve had quite a few placings in between in the big Group 1 races, and I was sort of hoping my second one would come a bit sooner. But, anyway, I’m still very grateful for the ride and to the connections.

“Once I presented her, she quickened up well. We were getting challenged by the other horses, and she was able to hold on.

“I wasn’t sure (who won), and I was looking up the drone to see where it was going, and it was pretty close to me. But Zahra was there as well, so I wasn’t sure if it was me or him, and then he said that I won.

“Winning another Group 1, it’s great.” RACING AND SPORTS