The Chris Waller-James McDonald combination added another Group One trophy to their collection when Panova secured the $1 million Australasian Oaks at Morphettville on Saturday, continuing a pattern of big-race success that has defined their autumn.

The three-year-old Trapeze Artist filly tracked the field through the early stages before McDonald wound her up from the 800-metre point, travelling three wide with cover as the pace lifted. By the furlong marker she had the race won, holding off the locally-trained Mating Call by a length with Paltrow Miss a further half-length away in third. Favourite Getta Good Feeling, sent out at $2.60, could manage only fourth as Panova returned $11.

Timing and Fitness the Key

Waller acknowledged the filly had taken time to reach peak condition this preparation, a delay that explained her seventh placing last start in the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes. The trainer revealed an early-autumn setback had put them behind schedule.

"She just had a temperature at the start of the autumn. So we just don't want to push them, we just gave her time," Waller explained. "As a result, she was a bit bigger, and we all know about that. And once you get out of shape, it's hard to get them back in shape, whether a racehorse or a person."

The patient approach paid dividends. Waller noted the filly was finally where he wanted her to be physically, adding that she would "train on from it" and could potentially target the Queensland Oaks.

Direction of Travel

McDonald pointed to a clear pattern in Panova's form — an affinity for anti-clockwise racing that now stands at two wins from two attempts. After struggling left-handed at Rosehill in the Vinery, the switch to Morphettville's configuration brought immediate improvement.

"I reckon she really adapted to that really well, her best performance has been in Melbourne over other runs in Sydney," McDonald said when asked about the directional preference. "Not that she's no good in Sydney, she just felt excellent the left-handed way."

The tactical setup proved ideal for the hoop, who settled behind the two favourites — Getta Good Feeling and Salty Pearl — on the fence. When Panova relaxed through the middle stages, the race unfolded to script.

"Once she landed in that spot, she was always going to be hard to beat because I had Getta Good Feeling only two lengths in front of me, I had Salty Pearl one length in front of me, all to my inside," McDonald explained. "So, if I was travelling good enough, they weren't coming out."

Milestones and Markets

The victory marked Waller's 199th career Group One win, though the trainer downplayed the approaching double-century. For McDonald, it delivered a first South Australian Group One success at only his second visit to Adelaide.

Panova represents another successful Magic Millions graduate for the Surace family's B2B Thoroughbreds operation. The $325,000 yearling purchase from Kenmore Lodge adds to the stable's recent Group One haul, joining stablemate Lazzura who won the Coolmore Classic weeks earlier.

Bred by John Ramsey at Turangga Farm, Panova is the first winner from two runners produced by Love Me Quietly, a Trusting mare who won three times from 1400 to 1600 metres. The filly becomes the second Group One winner for Trapeze Artist and has now banked $1,039,080 in stakes.

Whether Panova heads north to Brisbane or continues her anti-clockwise education in Melbourne remains to be determined, but Saturday's performance suggests she has more to offer at the highest level.