Famous Seamus (NZ) Keeps on Giving

Group 1 winning Karaka graduate Famous Seamus (NZ) (Elusive City) added another stakes victory to his tally on Saturday in the A$150,000 Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) at William Hill Park Hillside (Sandown).

Famous Seamus (NZ) victorious in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes.

Famous Seamus has been the winner of seven stakes races among his 11 wins including the Group 1 BTC Cup last year. This was his fifth start this season after consistently performing in four previous black-type races in Victoria and New South Wales for trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith.

“He always runs a good race,” commented Emma Mayfield-Smith, wife of trainer Noel. “The way the race was run today suited him and Kerrin (McEvoy) rode him perfectly. When the pace dropped off before the home I thought he’d be hard to beat.”

Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy from barrier 3, Famous Seamus went forward to race second, one-length off the leader in the early stages.

Improving on the home turn, Famous Seamus edged up to race in company with the pace-maker before taking the lead in the final 200m to hold off late challenger Generalife (Lonhro) and win strongly by a long neck over Generalife with Gracious Prospect (Tale of the Cat) in third.

The seven-year-old gelding increased his winnings to A$1,228,250 for owners Mr & Mrs J Simpson.

Famous Seamus was purchased as a yearling by Flagtown Pty Ltd at the NZB 2010 Select Sale for $70,000 from co-breeder Trelawney Stud.

Bred in conjunction with Keltern Stud, the son of Elusive City is out of unraced mare Clinique (Dance Floor) and is a full-brother to stakes winner Ahdashim (Elusive City), winner of the Group 3 Standish Handicap.

Famous Seamus was the second Karaka graduate to win at Sandown on Saturday with three-year-old filly Indarra (NZ) (Stravinsky) winning over 1400m in the Listed City of Greater Dandenong Stakes as well as kiwi-bred Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) (Yamanin Vital) who was victorious in the Group 2 Quayclean Zipping Classic.

Saturday’s win comes on the back of a fruitful Melbourne Spring Carnival where Karaka and kiwi graduates won seven Group 1 races.