Stand My Ground had just scored a first-up win in the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) at Royal Randwick today when Marc Chevalier revealed his next project.
“We are already thinking about the Five Diamonds, 2027 – but we might have a few runs before,” Chevalier said.
And it will pay not to disregard Chevalier’s latest ambitious plan for Stand My Ground as it was an outstanding training effort to have the mare ready to win the Four Pillars.
Chevalier revealed he had his eyes on the Four Pillars prize from the moment his filly ran unplaced behind the ill-fated Ohope Wins in the ATC Australian Oaks at Randwick last April.
“We have been preparing this mare for (the Four Pillars) the past six months,” Chevalier said.
“After the Oaks, we decided to give her a good break, bring her back in 15 weeks before the Four Pillars and we would get her ready off two (barrier) trials and she would be ready to win.
“Everything has been spot on and this is a very sweet feeling.”
Stand My Ground ($10), well ridden by Tyler Schiller, held off the late surge from Cuban Cigar ($7) to win by a half head with Magical Moments ($8) just over two lengths away third.
Dusty Bay, the $6.50 favourite, led for home but faded for 10th while topweight Alabama State ($7) raced outside the leader before finishing seventh.
Schiller had only praise for the mare and her trainer after the Four Pillars.
“She is such a tough horse,” Schiller said.
“And for Marc to get her to win first up over 1500m in a tough race, with that weight, it’s a great training effort.
“She had a tough run from a wide barrier. I got a bit of cover early, which I thought was great.
“She is a big momentum horse and probably got there a touch soon but she quickened well up the rise.
“To her credit she just kept toughing it out. That horse joined her probably 100m out and she wouldn’t let it get past her.”
Chevalier said Stand My Ground underlined her promise to win the Four Pillars first-up from a spell after she got to the Oaks last autumn at just her fourth career start.
“After the Oaks in autumn, we thought about going to Queensland but decided to give her three months out and ‘prep’ her for this race,” Chevalier said.
“She had a little hiccup with a temperature on the morning of her first-up run back in the autumn so we missed a run.
“She went second-up in the Vinery and she was only beaten less than a length, so we knew we had a good filly at that time.
“In the Oaks, she didn’t quite run the trip but I’m confident she will run 2400m ridden conservative.
“But she proved today that she is a quality mare because 1500m is not her trip, she is only warming up now.”
