Shadows Cast (NZ) Dead-Heats in Group 2

A horse that could have been bought for just $10,000 at the 2014 South Island Sale has played a starring role in a historic running of one of the biggest races in Christchurch’s New Zealand Cup carnival.

The 13th running of the $230,000 Group 2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton on Wednesday ended in an unprecedented dead-heat for first place between Shadows Cast (NZ) (Per Incanto) and Son Of Maher (Al Maher).

After sitting outside the leader for most of the race, Shadows Cast went for gold in the home straight and refused to let the late-finishing Son Of Maher pass. The two went to the line side by side, with the judge unable to declare a winner.

“It was an awkward barrier, but we were able to cross and he’s really tough this horse,” Shadow’s Cast’s rider Alysha Collett said.

The shared Group 2 win was Shadows Cast’s seventh victory from 22 starts and boosted his prize-money earnings to $200,827.

“I’ve won a few Winter Cups, but this would be the best race I’ve won down here,” said Shadows Cast’s trainer, the highly respected horseman Mark Oulaghan.

“When I watched the race live I thought we’d run second, and when I watched the replay I thought we’d won. He stuck at it all the way down the straight, no doubt about that.”

Shadows Cast was bred by Christine Harris, who offered him at the 2014 South Island Sale for a reserve of $10,000 which was not met.

The chestnut gelding is raced by well-known Wellington racing identity Ron Cunningham.