Record ninth Phar Lap Stakes captured by Chris Waller
Sixties, a gifted colt, produced a stylish victory, giving Waller his ninth success in the key three-year-old contest, with his earlier eight winners consisting entirely of fillies from Winx in 2015 onwards.
Among those were Foxplay (2017), Unforgotten (2018), Verry Elleegant (2019), Funstar (2020), Hungry Heart (2021), Zougotcha (2023) and Lazzura (2025) for Waller.
The $1.65 market elect Sixties needed to push forward early from a broad barrier to take up a spot outside the frontrunner, as James McDonald, the elite rider, managed the tempo en route to a three-quarters-of-a-length margin over surging Federalist ($41), with Cellarmaster ($26) half a length adrift in third place.
Only 35 minutes post-Sixties' triumph, the Waller-McDonald partnership struck again in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic thanks to Lazzura.
Waller's dominance in the Phar Lap Stakes persists impressively, as all eight fillies he saddled to win subsequently triumphed at Group 1 standard.
The colt Sixties eyes joining that elite group as Waller's ninth Phar Lap Stakes graduate to Group 1 glory in the $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) over Royal Randwick on April 4.
Sixties earns a slot in the Doncaster Mile allotted 49kg, unaffected by re-handicapping from his Phar Lap Stakes conquest.
Trainer Waller confirmed Rachel King will take the mount on Sixties for the Doncaster.
After a gutsy third in the Group 1 Australian Guineas, Sixties showcased his elite ability with a robust Phar Lap Stakes display.
"Things didn't really work out in the Australian Guineas, like today, he's had bad draws and it just makes it harder,'' Waller said.
I think his best win was when we rode him quiet. But today, being a short priced favourite, we've got three weeks into the Doncaster I thought 'oh well we'll try you up again on the speed.'
"But ideally in the Doncaster we'll ride him more conservatively. He's got to go to a new level in the Doncaster but he's very well weighted."
Post-race, McDonald, who notched a sixth Phar Lap Stakes record and fifth for Waller, commended Sixties highly.
"He would be a lot better off being a bit further back in the run,'' Waller said.
"But obviously he's a classy horse, he's just come on leaps and bounds from each run he's had and he's a gorgeous colt to boot.
When ridden a bit quieter you'd really see a lethal performance. Obviously it was a bit tradesman-like today but there's room to improve."
McDonald believes Sixties holds strong prospects in the Doncaster Mile with 49kg.
"If he's ridden three or four pairs back in a Doncaster on nice ground he would come out and run extremely well,'' McDonald said.
"Ideally, I think his best trip is six furlongs to 1400m and he's just getting that mile on ability at the moment.
"But he travelled really comfortably today, he's just so honest, you can't teach that. He's got a heart of a lion."
Check out online bookmakers for competitive markets on the upcoming Doncaster Mile with Sixties.
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