Chris Waller is positioning himself for another dominant Saturday in Sydney, saddling up the favourites for both Group 1 features on the Rosehill card, spearheaded by the highly anticipated Australian debut of Ohope Wins in the 2026 Vinery Stud Stakes.
Ohope Wins dominates the Vinery Stud Stakes markets for her Australian debut on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright Race Images.
Serving as a high-class curtain-raiser before his Ranvet winner Aeliana backs up in the Tancred Stakes, Waller’s gritty daughter of Ocean Park is the clear punters’ elect.
Ohope Wins currently sits atop the Group 1 $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) markets at $2.90 through Ladbrokes as she prepares to bring her elite New Zealand form to the local stage.
The bay mare has been the benchmark of consistency across the Tasman, arriving on the back of a three-race winning streak.
Her most recent performance was a career-best, where she overcame the disadvantage of barrier 14 to post a commanding 2.2 length victory in the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie in late February.
Ohope Wins is out to hand trainer Chris Waller his fourth Vinery Stud Stakes trophy since 2018!
Following a brief freshen-up, she lands in Sydney fit and ready, even with a slight drop in distance.
While her mid-March trial at Randwick was largely a conditioning exercise, her class edge over this field is undeniable.
Waller has opted to apply blinkers for the first time to sharpen her focus, and the booking of “Master of the Group 1” James McDonald from barrier nine suggests she will be hard to hold out when she lengthens in the straight.
The primary challenger to the Kiwi raider is the Ciaron Maher-trained Salty Pearl, occupying the second line of betting at $3.70.
The grey Tagaloa filly is building an impressive resume, returning to the winner’s stall last start with a dominant 2.75-length win in the VOBIS Platinum Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on March 14.
Saturday marks her first trip to Sydney and her return to elite company since finishing fourth in the Thousand Guineas last spring.
How she handles the clockwise way of racing will be pivotal, but she has the services of Ben Melham from a cozy gate three.
Two other fillies with Australian Oaks aspirations remain under double figures: the Mark Walker-trained Belle Cheval ($4.20) and Waller’s second stringer Panova ($6.00).
Belle Cheval, a daughter of Savabeel, also makes her Australian debut following a heartbreakingly narrow second in New Zealand’s richest race, The Kiwi (1500m).
She gets the services of Golden Slipper-winning jockey Zac Lloyd for her first test at 2000m.
Meanwhile, Panova looks to hand Waller his first Vinery since Fangirl (2022).
Although winless in two runs this prep, her fifth against the boys in the Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) was full of merit, and the daughter of Trapeze Artist looks desperate for this trip.
The early market mover and primary value play is Gary Portelli’s Long Legs, who has been backed in from $13 to $10.
Drawing the rails, the Russian Revolution filly steps up to the big league following a close-up fourth in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic.
The 2026 Vinery Stud Stakes is scheduled as Rosehill Race 6 at 3:25 pm (AEDT).
2026 Vinery Stud Stakes Field & Barriers
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Barrier | Weight | Age | Sex | Last Starts | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohope Wins | James McDonald | Chris Waller | 9 | 56kg | 3 | F | 52111 | $648,184 |
| 2 | Belle Cheval | Zac Lloyd | Mark Walker | 2 | 56kg | 3 | F | 3×112 | $664,821 |
| 3 | Salty Pearl | Ben Allen | Ciaron Maher | 3 | 56kg | 3 | F | x3231 | $811,000 |
| 4 | Panova | Tommy Berry | Chris Waller | 7 | 56kg | 3 | F | 11×65 | $482,145 |
| 5 | After Summer | Billy Egan | Dominic Sutton | 6 | 56kg | 3 | F | 133×6 | $163,475 |
| 6 | Long Legs | Nash Rawiller | Gary Portelli | 1 | 56kg | 3 | F | 13×34 | $101,050 |
| 7 | Aisle Two | Adam Hyeronimus | Robert & Luke Price | 8 | 56kg | 3 | F | x1215 | $104,275 |
| 8 | Celestial Award | Craig Newitt | Jerome Hunter | 5 | 56kg | 3 | F | 41 | $19,850 |
| 9 | Stand My Ground | Tyler Schiller | Marc Chevalier | 4 | 56kg | 3 | F | 4×1 | $30,700 |
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