Trainer Chris Waller to focus on spring sprints including 2025 The Everest with boom mare Lady Shenandoah

Lady Shenandoah was joined by star stablemates Via Sistina, Fangirl, Aeliana and Autumn Glow in exhibition gallops at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as their spring returns draw near.

All five were initially expected to return this week with Via Sistina, Fangirl and Aeliana bound for the Winx Stakes, however Lady Shenandoah will now be saved for another day.

“We haven’t made the final decision but I think we are going to go down a sprinting path because we are so top heavy,” Waller said.

“We’ve gone through her races, arguably her best win in the Autumn was the Light Fingers (over 1200m), she beat Lady Of Camelot easily.

“The next couple of races were tighter finishes. She has won Group 1s over a mile, 1500m and 1400m so she is pretty versatile. I think we will start her off shorter.”

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Quizzed if Lady Shenandoah could be a horse for the $20 million The Everest in October, Waller said; “I’ve fallen into the trap before of just saying yes. But I just think let’s get their first runs.”

He is set to consider options in Sydney and Melbourne for Lady Shenandoah with the Group 3 $1 million Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick and the Group 1 $750,000 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on September 6 both options.

Waller conceded the Concorde would be the more likely of those targets given Lady Shenandoah is yet to have a start in Melbourne.

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“I think it is safer to run the same day as the Moir in Sydney in that Concorde,” Waller said.

“Then she can go to wherever we want.

“We can go to a Manikato, back for an Everest and we can still plot a path towards the Golden Eagle or step her up at any stage because we know she wins over a mile.”

Lady Shenandoah, a three-time Group 1 winner, now sits on the same line of betting as stablemate Joliestar at $11 for The Everest on October 18 at Royal Randwick.

Unbeaten mare Autumn Glow also remains a chance to get to a The Everest as she prepares for her return this weekend in either the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m) or Group 3 Show Country Quality (1200m).

Waller is expected to still have an all-Star cast in the Winx Stakes with Via Sistina, Fangirl, Aeliana, Full Count Felicia and Lindermann as well as multiple resuming stayers.

Originally published as Trainer Chris Waller to focus on spring sprints including 2025 The Everest with boom mare Lady Shenandoah