Trainer Joe Pride has secured his third success in The Galaxy 2023 results on Golden Slipper Day with apprentice Tyler Schiller giving the stable’s bonny mare Mariamia a peach of a ride in the Group 1 at Rosehill.

2023 The Galaxy winner Mariamia handed trainer Joe Pride a third win in the event. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Group 1 $1 million The Galaxy (1100m) has been a happy hunting ground for Pride who won with Tiger Tees in 2014, Eduardo in 2020 and then Expressway Stakes winner Mariamia for his a third in 2023.

The in-form Toronado six-year-old continued her excellent record at Rosehill posting her fourth win from five starts at the track for a career best performance with a light-weight in The Galaxy.

Schiller celebrated his maiden elite level success guiding Mariamia ($10) to victory on 51kg from a good barrier two draw after the mare carted 56kg the run before for her lead-up fourth as the beaten odds-on favourite in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m).

Relishing a drop back in both weight and distance for the feature sprint on Slipper Day she was too sharp for her The Galaxy rivals posting a nearly one-length win over Uncommon James ($3.50F) who ran a forgivable second after only getting into clear space late.

“Pretty special, really happy with her all preparation. She didn’t see the 1300m out the other day but freshened up and back to a sprint trip, she was really dynamic there today. That’s her crowning moment, she’s won a Galaxy now,” Pride told Sky Thoroughbred Central after the win.

In third rounding out The Galaxy trifecta was Peter & Paul Snowden‘s Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes winning Capitalist colt Cannonball ($18) at a big price.

There was a cracking tempo on in The Galaxy with jockey Nash Rawiller ensuring the speed was on when pressing forward to lead on Pride’s former winner Eduardo.

Mariamia meanwhile was relaxed settled in fourth before producing a big run to challenge up the inside the closing stages drawing clear at the 200m to become an elite level winner with Schiller in the saddle.

“She’s a bonny mare, just great to see her do that there today to state the obvious,” Pride said.

“She’s been going so well all preparation and just that run at 1300m it stretched her out with a really quick tempo and she didn’t really get her chance to finish off that day.

But given that quiet run in behind them today with no weight on her back and a great reward for Tyler (Schiller), I know he’ll really appreciate that. He rode more winners for me last season than anyone else and to be able to give him a reward like that it’ll be pretty special for him, and it’s certainly special for us.

“He’s a fantastic jock. He’s had no problems going through the ranks and I think a lot of these kids we see maybe after their apprenticeship not take that next step. But I’d be very surprised if that was the case with Tyler.”

Retirement to stud is pending for Mariamia but her career as a broodmare is now likely to be put on hold with a few more Group 1 targets to come in 2023.

“I think we should delay it,” Pride said.

“I was given a marker, I told them I was going to win three black type races and keep the stud work at bay so we’ll see.

“There’s some pretty big races in the spring for her but in many ways she’s done her job and super proud of her today she went terrific.”

One potential next-up target is a trip to Randwick on April 1 for the Group 1 $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), a double that hasn’t been completed since La Baraka (1998).

2023 The Galaxy Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.