Striking Alibi favoured in 2026 Tea Rose Stakes

Trainer Chris Waller’s strategy of entering multiple fillies in feature races is a common occurrence, and his four contenders for the Tea Rose Stakes present an intriguing proposition for the third leg of the Princess Series.

The market currently favours Striking Alibi, a former Perth three-year-old, following her notable third-place finish in her Sydney debut in the Furious Stakes (1200m) last month.

This performance was the key factor that led leading jockey James McDonald to select her as his mount for the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) on Saturday, choosing her over stablemate Sing Your Song.

“That’s the reason James opted to ride her because he’s got a very good opinion of (stablemate) Sing Your Song,” stated Charlie Duckworth, Waller’s Sydney-based assistant.

“He was given the option as a race-by-race proposition to ride whichever one he wanted in the race, and he chose to go with Striking Alibi, so that’s a pretty good push.”

Waller’s remaining three runners – Sing Your Song, Kototo, and Sequinned – have been kept sharp with recent runs in midweek company, and Duckworth considers them all promising.

Sing Your Song, a full sister to stakes winner Matias, achieved her maiden win over 1400m at Warwick Farm in her last start.

Her primary objective remains the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m), scheduled two weeks after this Saturday’s event, but Duckworth expects a strong showing from her at Randwick.

“She hasn’t missed a beat. She galloped really well on Tuesday morning, and 1400 on a big track will be right up her alley,” he commented.

“And beyond that, a mile in the Flight, she’ll be ready to peak. She is learning with each and every gallop, each and every race. She has just taken a bit of time to mentally put it all together.”

Kototo is also exceptionally bred, being a half-sister to last Saturday’s Sheraco Stakes winner Savvy Hallie, by Wootton Bassett. Sequinned, described as “pretty speedy,” is a half-sibling to the successful sire Bivouac.

Duckworth anticipates Kototo, who placed in stakes races in Brisbane over the winter, will be well-suited by Saturday’s 1400m journey after finishing a close fourth to Sequinned on resumption over a shorter distance.

“She’s one we’ve always held in really high regard. She is thrown in the deep end on Saturday, but she won’t disgrace herself,” Duckworth concluded.

Check the racing betting markets for the Tea Rose Stakes.