Newmarket Win Sparks Royal Ascot Plans for Shamexpress (NZ)
11 March 2013
Kiwi bred colt Shamexpress (NZ) could join fellow Karaka graduate Ocean Park (NZ) at Royal Ascot in England later this year after his stunning performance to win Australia’s premier sprint race, the A$1 million Newmarket Handicap (1200m), at Flemington on Saturday.
Shamexpress (O’Reilly x Volkrose) put in a scintillating performance down the Flemington straight to beat a hot line up of Australian sprinters and was one of three Group 1 winners for Karaka on Saturday with Ocean Park and Ruud Awakening also successful at the elite level.
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Shamexpress could now defend NZ’s title in the |
The three-year-old’s win has brought the Royal Ascot meeting right into contention and the son of O’Reilly may have the opportunity to defend New Zealand’s title in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, a race won by Karaka graduate Little Bridge (Faltaat) last year.
The Danny O’Brien trained colt came from near last in the Newmarket Handicap under jockey Craig Newitt and didn’t see clear air until 350 meters from home. However once Newitt got Shamexpress clear his turn-of-foot was instant and he powered home, getting up in the final strides to beat Moment of Change (Barely a Moment) by a short head.
“The Newmarket Handicap has been a long range plan, certainly since he ran third in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring and he came in great shape and he got the right ride today,” said O’Brien.
“Craig just produced him beautifully and he really let go like a top class Group 1 sprinter.”
O’Brien is now likely to give Shamexpress a month off in the paddock before deciding whether to target the Royal Ascot meeting and the King’s Stand Stakes. The trainer is no stranger to Royal Ascot having campaigned Glamour Puss at the meeting in 2006 and Star Witness, who placed in both the King’s Stand and Diamond Jubilee Stakes, in 2011.
Bred by Richard Rutherford, Roger Gordon & R Davis, Shamexpress is raced by Mr J Dimery, Mr A Smith, Mr K Woolley, Andre & Andre, Turner & Keogh, Mr J Hitt, Mr S Larkey, Mr C Wylie, Mr R Callister and Ms L Evans.
The colt was purchased by Danny O'Brien Racing from Richard Rutherford’s Beltana Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $130,000. He has now won three of his ten starts for over $970,000.
Shamexpress is the 64th stakes winner for Waikato Stud’s Champion Sire O’Reilly and his 11th at Group 1 level.
O’Reilly’s progeny have won some of Australasia’s feature races including the Australian Guineas and Australian Derby (Shamrocker), Patinack Farm Stakes (Swick), Caulfield Cup (Master O’Reilly), NZ Derby (Silent Achiever), Toorak Handicap (Alamosa) and the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (Sacred Falls).