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The 2024 Coolmore Stud Stakes kicked off Group 1 racing on Derby Day at Flemington and saw trainer Chris Waller take out the sprint for the sixth time in 11 years with a dominant display by Switzerland and jockey James McDonald.

McDonald rode his third winner in four years powering home over the final furlong to put a 2.5 length gap on the next best, Bellatrix Star, in an exciting finish to the Group 1 $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

Having ridden Home Affairs in 2021 and In Secret in 2022, J Mac was again on the right young horse to salute in the stallion-making six-furlong showdown at headquarters.

“This is one of the nicest colts I’ve sat on for a while. He’s been promising to do that,” McDonald told Channel 9.

“He’d come out so alertly. Mind was straight on the job, and I’m absolutely delighted for him, delighted for the connections, and I’ve got an absolute star colt on my hands.”

After jumping a length clear of anything else in the field, McDonald got Waller’s last start Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes winning Snitzel colt to settle beautifully and produce a powerful late burst right down the outside the closing stages.

“He’s a very well-bred colt,” Waller said post-victory.

“He’s raced by some great racing enthusiasts that have supported me with a stallion fund, and it’s important to win these types of races – a little bit differently to the first race where we just had an unknown filly.

“The colts winning today, it really is a big deal on the big stage.

“James rode it perfectly as we know James does and he’s part of history.”

Bodyguard led the Coolmore Stud Stakes field around getting out to a four-length lead midrace but faded late and eventually crossed dead last.

Mark Walker‘s classy Star Witness filly Bellatrix Star coming off a trio of lead-up wins in Melbourne ran second.

There was a dead heat for third with nothing on the line between Golden Slipper winning filly Lady Of Camelot and the beaten favourite Growing Empire to complete the Coolmore Stud Stakes trifecta.

Waller confirmed potential plans to head overseas with Switzerland following his success in the Coolmore.

“Well, the beauty of winning a Group One race, it takes a little bit of pressure off. We’ve got to just now maintain his value, so logically, races like the Newmarket and Royal Ascot would be in our consideration,” he told Racing.com.