Momentous Double for Shuka

In winning form for the second consecutive year was Shuka (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) as he took victory in the Group 1 $200,000 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (1600m).

Shuka (NZ) storms to victory in the Group 1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes. Photo courtesy of Trish Dunell.

This is Shuka’s second Group 1 win having claimed the same race in 2013 for trainers Peter and Dawn Williams of Byerley Park. New Zealand’s leading jockey, Danielle Johnson, teamed up with Shuka setting out to defend their title.

It was a small field of eight but the competition was out in force with some of New Zealand’s top competitors. Pure Champion (Footstepsinthesand) set the pace with Johnson sitting patiently for an opportunity to arise. As they straightened, Shuka squeezed ahead of Nashville (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Puccini (NZ) (Encosta De Lago) to claim victory by a neck.

“You’re never confident when it comes to a Group 1 race but the horse has been working well coming into the race and doing everything right, so we were hoping,” commented Peter Williams. “It was a good tough run and he fought well.”

Second place was a dead-heat between Ready to Run Sale graduate Nashville and Karaka graduate Puccini. They fought hard in the closing stages of the race but Shuka and Johnson proved too good.

“Shuka will run in the Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day and after that will follow the Group 1 races around New Zealand. We will look at going to Sydney in the autumn if things are going well,” said Williams.

Owned by Parr Bloodstock Ltd, Shuka has now earned a total of $687,950 with eight wins from his 36 starts. Sired by Bachelor Duke, Shuka is the stallion’s best performer. His dam is unraced mare Alabama Rose who is out of Cape Cross. She is the dam of four foals, all winners and full siblings to Shuka. Shuka’s second dam Alambama Whirly (Bold Rancher) was a Group 1 winner in the Karrakatta Plate.

Shuka has a full brother entered in the 2015 Karaka Premier Sale, Lot 246 with The Oaks Stud.