Premier trainer Chris Waller continued his good record in the Cantala Stakes when Yulong Prince gave him his fourth win in the Group One race.
Only the legendary Bart Cummings with six victories has trained more winners of the famous 1600 metre feature at Flemington.
The victory was also a notable one for Chinese-based Yuesheng Zhang’s Yulong Investments as it was their first Australian Group One winner.
Waller’s Melbourne stable foreman Jo Taylor said it was a fantastic result for Zhang.
“He’s a big supporter of ours, not just us, but racing in Australia. They’re deserving of these big results,” Taylor said.
It was also Waller’s 13th Group One winner in total at the Flemington carnival.
Waller made it three wins for the day when Fiesta won the final race, the Furphy Sprint (1100m).
Earlier in the day he also trained September Run to win the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Taylor wasn’t sure whether Yulong Prince would back up in the Mackinnon Stakes next Saturday.
His jockey Damian Lane said Yulong Prince was suited by the fast tempo which was set by Buffalo River.
“It worked out good. He didn’t step that great so from there I did need some tempo and with the nice tracking he really let rip off that tempo,” Lane said.
Lane thought he had hit the front too early, especially when he heard Damien Oliver yelling behind him on Cascadian.
“I could hear ‘Ollie’s’ yelling, his very distinctive voice coming from behind and normally once you hear him he gets you,” Lane said.
“It was good that he (Yulong Prince) knuckled down and fought it out for the win. I got a rare one up on him there.”
Yulong Prince ($10) held off Cascadian’s ($15) late challenge by a half neck with Rock ($8.50) a half length away third.
Oliver said Cascadian appreciated getting back to Flemington and he ran a super race.
The eye catching run was from fifth placegetter Fifty Stars who finished on strongly.
“He’s run super. That should leave him spot-on for next Saturday and the 2000 metres (Mackinnon Stakes) and he’s probably looking for that now,” Fifty Star’s jockey John Allen said.
