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Waller celebrates special win with Amelita

Winx colours back in winner’s stall on a big day at Flemington.

James McDonald returns to the mounting yard aboard Amelita after winning the 3AW Red Roses Stakes in Flemington, Australia.
James McDonald returns to the mounting yard aboard Amelita after winning the 3AW Red Roses Stakes in Flemington, Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

Chris Waller was back in the winner's stall on a big day with colours he will forever be associated with after Amelita continued her progression with a maiden Stakes win in the Red Roses Stakes at Flemington on Oaks Day.

The three-year-old claimed the $300,000 Group 3 at just her fifth start, and two starts after breaking her maiden at Canterbury on a Wednesday, when the beneficiary of magical James Mcdonald ride in the 1100-metre event.

Amelita is raced by a group headed up by Peter Tighe, meaning she carries the blue and white Magic Bloodstock colours that Winx also raced under, and Waller always gets a kick of seeing them in the winner's stall.

"It's very special to me, Peter Tighe and ourselves got a group together and there's some really nice owners in it," Waller said.

"People love having runners Cup Week, so if you can find a horse that has got a nice progression forward and can come down here when they're not burnt out, that's a big help."

Winx is most famous for her four Cox Plate wins at Moonee Valley, but she was also a dual winner of the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.

McDonald weaved a path through the field from the inside barrier aboard the $11 chance to reel in his rivals in the final furlong of the Red Roses Stakes and race away for a three-quarters-of-a-length win over Vestas ($6.50), who nosed out Bridal Waltz ($13) for second placing.

It was McDonald's sixth win of the Melbourne Cup Carnival after a Derby Day treble and two early wins on Melbourne Cup Day and a fourth Cup Week win for Waller.

Amelita, a daughter of Zoustar's son Zousain, failed to place in two starts in late-autumn but has come back a much better horse in spring and has Waller excited about what is to come.

"There was enough confidence to down come here with her and pick up a nice race to up her value and most importantly to give her some confidence," Waller, who celebrated his first win in the Red Roses Stakes, said.

"We see her as a nice filly going forward by Zousain, who I trained - a son of Zoustar, so it's a bit of a family affair."


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