Top honours in the 2024 Canterbury Stakes results at Royal Randwick went to the very fit mare Lady Laguna who held her form and continued to rise through the ranks with a brilliant upset over the favourites.

2024 Canterbury Stakes winner Lady Laguna was outstanding beating home a top class field with the fitness edge. Photo: Steve Hart.

Jockey Tyler Schiller celebrated his second Group 1 success in the $750,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) off a very smart and calculated ride aboard the Annabel Neasham-trained Overshare mare.

The bonny four-year-old was unwanted in betting as an $11 chance against a small but elite field that included the resuming The Everest champion Think It Over.

In her first success at the Randwick track at her seventh attempt, the in-form galloper handled her top tier assignment and was right there when it counted.

The Canterbury was Lady Laguna’s fourth win from her latest five starts following victories in a Listed Doomben sprint race in December, the $1 million Magic Millions Fillies & Mares race at the Gold Coast, and the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

Last time out she was runner-up to Zougotcha in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m), but atoned over the same distance at Randwick today.

“No horse deserves it more than her,” now nine-time Group 1 winning trainer Neasham told Sky Racing Thoroughbred post-race.

“She’s an iron-woman. She’s so tough.

“We were a little bit further back than I wanted to be but it was a beautiful ride by Tyler and I’m just so over the moon that she’s a Group One winner. And to win for OTI and the team is just so special.”

It was a terrific ride by Schiller who elected to stay one off and took the speed out of the race in a smart charge for home on the straight.

Schiller found Think About It’s back and outsprinted the beaten favourite over the final furlong aboard his mare who had the fitness edge and plenty in the tank late.

On the line Lady Laguna had over a length to spare over the Joe Pride-trained Think It Over ($2.35F), while the Chris Waller-trained Espiona ($2.45) ran third.

“It feels as good as the first time,” Schiller said after taking out his second Group 1.

“I actually thought she was going to get rounded up late but she just kept kicking and she was strong for the 1300 (metres).

“She’s not a renowned 1300-metre horse but she was too good for them there.

“She’s come out of some good Group Two races, not the best formlines for this but just the turn of foot she’s had in her last three starts I think held her in good stead.

“I always thought Think About It might have been a little bit touchy at the 1300, just with his prep going forward.

“He’s looking to get out in trip so I was just hoping he would be a little bit dour. When I cruised up past him at the 100 I thought it was going to be a little ding-dong battle and she put them away very well.”

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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