Famous Seamus Goes Back-to-Back

The consistent Kiwi-bred sprinter Famous Seamus (NZ) (Elusive City) won back-to-back Listed A$100,000 City Tattersalls Club Lightning Handicap (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Famous Seamus (NZ) winning the Listed City Tattersalls Club Lightning Handicap at Randwick.

The son of Elusive City was defending his title in the race that he won last year and came into this year’s race on the back of a close-up third in the Group 2 Shorts Stakes last start and was carrying topweight of 59kgs.

The Noel Mayfield-Smith trained gelding started the race as favourite in the seven horse field and travelled in fifth position for rider Tim Clarke.

The five-year-old had to chase down Ichihara who had sprinted to the lead coming up the rise at Randwick. Famous Seamus chased after the leader and proved too good over the concluding stages as he drew to the lead and won by three-quarters-of-a-length at the finishing post.

“He went really well,” said Mayfield-Smith “He is a well above average.

 “The second horse had four kilograms less than him so it was a really good performance and his work had been out of the box going into the race so I was confident.

“He has pulled up well so we will head to Melbourne for the Zipping Stakes.

“He has won four stakes races and been placed. He should have also won the Group 3 at Newcastle, he is not as good if you lead on him, he is a very good chaser.

“I bought his half-brother Dooley Jones, that’s how the connection started. He had ability himself but was more of a stayer and won over 2400m.”

The win was the eighth in the career of Famous Seamus and the fourth stakes victory for the gelding that is owned Mr J Simpson & Mrs J D Simpson, earning them $455,650 in prizemoney from his 22 starts.

Famous Seamus is a full-brother to Ahdashim (Elusive City), another good sprinter in Australia who has been a Group 3 winner. The pair’s dam, Clinique (Dance Floor), is a half-sister to stakes winners Ferragamo (Success Express) and National Treasure (Zabeel).

Bred by Keltern Stud Ltd & Trelawney Thoroughbred Ltd, Famous Seamus was purchased at the 2010 Karaka Select Sale by Flagtown Pty Ltd from Trelawney Stud for $70,000.