Chris Waller has put the plans in place for a Royal Ascot raid with Joliestar and the top-class mare further underlined her claims when landing her fourth group 1 at Randwick Racecourse March 7.
The 5-year-old daughter of Zoustar inched ever closer to an overseas foray when making it 2-for-2 this campaign in the 1,300-meter (about 6 1/2-furlong) Canterbury Stakes (G1).
Ridden by James McDonald, Joliestar settled just off the pace and produced her customary strong finish to head a remarkable trifecta for Waller, with stablemates Beiwacht and Lady Shenandoah filling the placings in the AU$750,000 feature.
"It was a beautiful ride. She had a nice draw, so everything set up well," said Waller, who was winning the Canterbury Stakes for the first time. "She's come back really well, she's a more mature horse. She knows her job and just does it well."
Waller will be seeking his second win at the prestigious meeting having saddled Nature Strip to win the King Charles III Stakes (G1)—when it was known as the King's Stand Stakes—in 2022.
The Cambridge Stud-owned Joliestar was electric when winning the Expressway Stakes (G2) first-up last month, soundly beating Caballus who franked the form when claiming Saturday's Newmarket Handicap (G1) at Flemington—won by Joliestar last year.
Waller confirmed Joliestar will have one more run in the AU$3 million TJ Smith Stakes (G1) back at Randwick April 4 before embarking on a trip to the United Kingdom.
"We know the date she's leaving and everything like that, so that's how far we've gone into the program," he said. "Every race you've got to come back safe and do the little things right and keep her good form.
"She will have one more run, that's the TJ (Smith) back to 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs) and then on the plane."
An AU$950,000 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale purchase in 2022 for Cambridge Stud's Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Joliestar has amassed an impressive record of nine wins and seven placings from 20 starts, with prize money topping AU$7.1 million (approx. US$4.4 million), making her the highest earner for champion sire Zoustar.
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Sheza Alibi Cruises to Randwick Guineas Victory
Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman's star filly Sheza Alibi confirmed herself as one of the most exciting 3-year-olds in the country with a commanding victory in the Randwick Guineas (G1) Saturday.
The filly became the first to defeat the colts in the 1,600-meter (about 1-mile) race since Mosheen in 2012, producing a devastating turn of foot to defeat Caulfield Guineas (G1) winner Autumn Boy by 3 1/4 lengths, with Attica a further 2 lengths away in third.
The victory also carried added significance for Moody's long-time jockey Luke Nolen, who brought up his 2,000th career win aboard the heavily backed favorite.
Sent off an AU$2.10 chance, Sheza Alibi enjoyed a perfect run in transit behind Autumn Boy before Nolen angled her clear approaching the 300 meters. Once balanced, the response was immediate as she surged clear, putting the result beyond doubt in a matter of strides.
"She is just something special, this filly," co-trainer Coleman said.
"This was her hardest test to date in a field full of quality horses and she just put them away. We had a lot of respect for the opposition today but what she's shown us at home is just amazing.
"She's just got that X factor about her and a real desire to win. The bigger the fight in the race the more she appreciates it and the more she wants to get the job done. She took a few strides to warm up today but once she got past Autumn Boy she came right away late.
"She's a special horse."
The victory extended Sheza Alibi's record to six wins and three placings from nine starts, while maintaining her perfect record in group company after earlier victories in the 2025 Vanity (G3), 2025 Sandown Guineas (G2), and Feb. 21 Angus Armanasco Stakes (G2).
Despite the dominant performance, Coleman indicated the filly may now head to the paddock rather than continue through the autumn carnival.
"She had a deep spring preparation, so the plan was always to keep this preparation fairly light," she said.
"She'll head back to Melbourne and we'll see how she pulls up, but I wouldn't be surprised if she's out in the paddock getting ready for the spring."
Bred by Queensland hobby breeders Fred and Desley Monsour, Sheza Alibi sold as a AU$10,000 weanling on Inglis Digital to central Queensland-based owner Fred Noffke.
One of just two stakes winners in Australia for the sire Saxon Warrior, Sheza Alibi became the son of Deep Impact's second individual top-level winner, following the exploits of his first-crop son Victoria Road, who won the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) in 2022.
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Caballus delivers Newmarket triumph for Newitt
Craig "Froggy" Newitt turned back the clock at Flemington Racecourse Saturday when guiding Sydney raider Caballus to victory in the Newmarket Handicap (G1) down the famous straight course over 1,200 meters.
The win was Newitt's first at group 1 level since partnering Extreme Choice to victory in the Moir Stakes (G1) at The Valley in 2016, and the 34th top-level success of his career.
Jumping sharply from the barriers, Newitt sent the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding straight to the lead along the inside rail. The AU$19 chance proved tenacious late, holding off a determined challenge from Gallant Son by a neck, with Angel Capital three-quarters of a length further away in third.
"I was very happy after we'd gone 400 or 500 meters," Newitt said. "He pricked his ears and was happy bowling along at his own leisure.
"I probably opened him up a little earlier than I'd told the connections I would, just so I could get a buffer on the favorite (Tentyris). But he just kept responding."
The 18th individual group 1 winner for superstar sire I Am Invincible, Caballus is the first stakes winner out of Calming Influence and Alma Vale Thoroughbreds will consign her Ole Kirk filly at Inglis Easter as Lot 244.
Anthony and Sam Freedman's hot favorite Tentyris was shown clear air at the 300 meters but had much to do and could only manage fifth, beaten 1.5 lengths. It was discovered postrace that Godolphin's dual group 1 winner suffered cardiac arrhythmia.
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Tom Kitten lands second All-Star Mile
Godolphin's ever-consistent 5-year-old Tom Kitten made history at Flemington Saturday when he became the first dual winner of the All-Star Mile (G1).
Having narrowly defeated Mr Brightside in the 2025 running of the AU$2 million contest, the gelded son of Harry Angel was again made to work to overcome Evaporate inside the final 100 meters and score by a neck.
There was a further head back to the third-placed front-runner Pride Of Jenni, who was also bidding for her second win in the race.
It was Tom Kitten's third success at the elite level and first for the Sam and Anthony Freedman stable, having formerly been trained by James Cummings. The win took his prize money earnings beyond the AU$7.5 million mark.
"He's a remarkable horse," said Sam Freedman. "He's been at the top for a long time. We've been blessed to get him into the stable in the last eight or nine months.
"We were disappointed with the spring we had with him—we felt he was going well, but we were chasing our tail. But this prep, I don't know what it is. I rang Dad this morning and said he's a different horse. He looks amazing, he's holding more condition, he's racing heavier.
"For James (Cummings) and his team, who worked with the horse for such a long time, they should all be very proud, as well as my team. He's a remarkable horse and turns up every time."
Freedman said Tom Kitten is likely to be kept to the mile in future, with options in Australia but also abroad on the agenda.
"I feel he's best fresh at a mile. We might see him in the Doncaster more likely than the Australian Cup. He might grind away late like he wants the 2,000 meters, but he likes a strong tempo where he can sit back and stalk them.
"We'll have a chat. He's also entered for Dubai and Hong Kong, so there's plenty of options for him. The beauty of him is he's an easy horse to work with and I'm just rapt for the whole crew."
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