Sportsbet Australasian Oaks (Group 1)

WITH a wide sweeping run through the final bend having sat three-wide with a trail for the journey, Panova with James McDonald up, powered through to the line to take out the Australasian Oaks over Morphetville’s 2,000 metres on Saturday.

The win brought up trainer Chris Waller’s 199th Group 1 win as the Trapeze Artist filly defeated the Brazen Beau filly Mating Call by a length, with the Circus Maximus filly Paltrow Miss in third.

“I haven’t thought about it too much (of the 199 Group 1s), it’s just part of another day, another week and great Australian racing,” said Waller.

“It’s a privilege to be here, first and foremost, for myself and James, it’s very humbling to see the way James is received here. She’s very adaptable, a talented horse, we started a long way behind the eight ball, she’s caught up now and she’ll train on from it. We might even get to the Queensland Oaks (Eagle Farm, June 6th).”

South Australia

A dual Group 3 winner, who was purchased for A$325,000 as a Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling, this was a maiden Group 1 victory for Panova, and so too McDonald, who’d never ridden a Group 1 winner in South Australia before.

“I’m rapt for it. I’m rapt to be here,” said McDonald. “You guys put on a great show. The track’s racing well, it’s just an honour to be here.

“I enjoy winning classics, they’re one of my favourites, rich in history and this race is no different.”

Mistruth has the answers

Sportsbet Robert Sangster Stakes (Group 1)

THE 30/1 outsider Geegees Mistruth has prevailed in a thrilling four-way finish to land the Robert Sangster Stakes over 1,200 metres at Morphetville on Saturday.

Hailing from the Tasmanian stable of Stuart Gandy before her transfer to Te Akau’s Mark Walker in the spring, the four-year-old Wordsmith filly’s seventh win, her maiden Group 1, was her first victory for her new stable.

A nose and a head separated the first three with the Snitzel filly Bridal Waltz just shading last year’s winner, the I Am Invincible mare Charm Stone, who had to settle for third.

“It worked out perfectly,” said jockey Jordan Childs.

“She’s obviously a mare that can get quite up and about and do a few things wrong, but she was really relaxed today. She went down to the gates lovely, stood in there well.

Comfortable

“She began nicely out of there and I just wanted to ride her where she was really comfortable. I managed to get on that three-wide line and once I presented her, she quickened up well, we were getting challenged by the other horses, and she was able to hold on.”

This was Geegees Mistruth’s seventh start for the Walker stable, in which time she has been a runner-up at Group 2 and Group 3 level.

“We promised them we would try and win a big one, she’s had nothing but doors closed on her with runs, and bad luck in the Oakleigh Plate,” said stable foreman Ben Gleeson.

“Her journey just sums up racing, it’s a lot of lows, but when the highs happen they’re worth it.”

A winner now of seven from 19 and unplaced just four times, the home-bred Geegees Mistruth has lifted her earnings to over A$1.27 million.

Sherry gets Hellsing home

TOMMY Sherry partnered Irish-bred Dandy Man gelding Hellsing, trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, to win the First Australian Imperial Force Handicap over Randwick’s 1,500 metres on Saturday. “He is a lovely horse,” said Sherry of the 2022 Listed Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes winner, when trained by Ger Lyons. “I think he was really well placed today by the team after he put a couple of good runs in. The race just mapped out beautifully.”