The Chris Waller stable capped off a phenomenal day in Melbourne for the team backing-up from their Caulfield Cup victory with Verry Elleegant to win the last with Madam Rouge in the Group 2 $300,000 Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m).

Madam Rouge (pictured at the Gold Coast) won the last on Caulfield Cup Day for Chris Waller. Photo: Steve Hart.

Following on from the historic Group 1 Caulfield Cup win by the fellow Waller-trained mare Verry Elleegant in the previous race, Zoustar five-year-old Madam Rouge returned to her best in the Tristarc giving jockey Ben Melham a treble at the meeting.

“We were actually going to scratch her if it got to an official Soft (7),” stable rep Jo Taylor revealed to the media after the race.

“So, to be fair, we’d say that the soft isn’t really what she’s looking for.

“So, for her to still perform in this manner on this ground is very credible.”

First-up in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes when sixth to Perfect Jewel, Madam Rouge ran the fastest 200m final sectional of the entire meeting.

She was tested in Group 1 company second-up for a midfield seventh in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes only two lengths beaten before her disappointing fourth in the Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) at Flemington last time out.

Melham was able to restrain Madam Rouge early after she jumped well in her Cup Day assignment, getting her to settle back in the run as the expected front runner Felicia led the Tristarc Stakes field around.

It was a slowly run 1400m contest and that suited Melham who knew he was aboard the best finisher in the race so long as she didn’t get caught up for a run from the back.

On the straight things went his way and Madam Rouge off the nice, quiet ride was able to burst up the inside and rundown Kevin Corsten’s four-year-old Epaulette mare She Shao Fly who was brilliant again in second for her third Group placing from four runs this prep.

“She’s a good mare,” Melham said post-victory.

“All her runs have been good.

“She’s fast out the barriers so I just had to restrain her today.

“The leaders crawled, which really added merit to her win.

“It was a well-deserved win for her this prep.”

Holding for third after her on-speed run in the lead was the Dean Binaisse-trained Felicia who was brave in defeat but couldn’t match the finishing power of Madam Rouge in the real sit and sprint affair.

Madam Rouge is likely to stay on in Melbourne now and potentially be tested over a mile at Flemington on Derby Day, October 31, in the Group 1 $1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m).

“We were a bit too close in the run last time…instruction to Ben today was to ride her quiet and give her every chance,” Taylor said.

“Ben found a way and she was good.”

Another Waller-trained mare, Red Tracer (2013), was the last to complete the Tristarc – Empire Rose Stakes double.

All-in 2020 Empire Rose Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au this Melbourne Cup Carnival on Madam Rouge has firmed in from $26 to $15 and are available in full here.

2020 Tristarc Stakes Results

Colour	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	2	MADAM ROUGE	Chris Waller	Ben Melham		3	57kg		$10
	2	6	SHE SHAO FLY	Kevin Corstens	Jamie Kah	0.3L	4	55kg		$7.50
	3	4	FELICIA	Dean Binaisse	Craig Williams	0.5L	6	57kg		$3.40
	4	8	THE CLOSER	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	John Allen	1.75L	8	55kg		$31
	5	1	PRETTY BRAZEN	Tony & Calvin McEvoy	Luke Currie	2.15L	7	58kg		$4.80
	6	3	PERFECT JEWEL	Grant & Alana Williams	William Pike	2.25L	2	57kg		$3F
	7	5	INTO THE ABYSS	John Thompson	Damian Lane	2.45L	5	55kg		$41
	8	9	RICH HIPS	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Michael Dee	2.65L	1	55kg		$20
		7	BENITOITE	Clinton McDonald	Billy Egan		0

   Table Credit: Racing Australia.