The all-conquering trainer-jockey partnership of Chris Waller and James McDonald continued their unprecedented Sydney autumn carnival Group 1 winning streak when Ohope Wins won a thrilling $1 million ATC Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Waller and McDonald have now combined to win at least one Group 1 race over a record seven successive Saturdays stretching back to Autumn Glow’s success in the Verry Elleegant Stakes on February 28.
It’s been a remarkable period of sustained excellence by Sydney’s premier trainer and jockey and they will join forces with Fangirl (All Aged Stakes) and Campione D’Italia (Champagne Stakes) on the final day of the carnival next Saturday.
Ohope Wins, a recent stable recruit for Waller, became just the fourth filly to complete the New Zealand Oaks-ATC Australian Oaks double after Pennyweka (2023), Bonneval (2017) and Domino (1990).
Waller gave a lot of the credit for the Oaks triumph of Ohope Wins to former trainer Lance O’Sullivan.
“Obviously I’ve been gifted this lovely filly by Yulong and Lance O’Sullivan did a great job with her prior to coming to me,” Waller said.
“Plus they gave me a hand with her as well, they were very friendly and very helpful which we’ve got to thank them for.
“It wasn’t hard to have her ready for this race because you know the horse is good enough, it was just about keeping it simple.
“I think she needed the run (4th in the Vinery Stud Stakes) and speaking with Lance, the confidence he had in her, he said she’s one of the best horses that he’s ever had anything to deal with so it’s a pretty big comment coming from him.”
Ohope Wins ($2.60 favourite) lived up to the hype when she finished powerfully to run down a very game Profoundly ($3.20) to win by a long neck with After Summer ($9.50) a half head away third.
McDonald said the fast tempo of the Oaks suited Ohope Wins “down to the ground”.
“I always had a plan to ride her quietly,” McDonald said.”I was blessed when the pace went on and it never stopped so it was going to be the toughest stayer and that’s exactly what she was.
“She’s a very gritty filly. She had enough on the line, the other two were brave (Profoundly 2nd, After Summer 3rd) and it was lucky we were on a good horse.”
Waller won his fifth ATC Australian Oaks with Ohope Wins but it is not his usual practice to set a rising four-year-old mare for the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double.
Verry Elleegant won the 2019 ATC Australian Oaks but didn’t contest either of the Cups in the spring of her four-year-old season.
But Verry Elleegant returned as a five-year-old to win the Caulfield Cup and then claimed the Melbourne Cup 12 months later as a six-year-old mare.
Waller said Ohope Wins will spell now and has an open mind about what races he will aim the stayer in spring.
Profoundly, trained by Michael Freedman, did look the winner when she sprinted to the front over the rise but Ohope Wins got to her quickly and looks likely to win by a comfortable margin but was made to work hard to win by a long neck.
After Summer also underlined her emerging staying potential with successive Group 1 placings, backing up from her second in the Vinery Stud Stakes to Belle Cheval with another very competitive effort in the Oaks, finishing a close third.
