Shamrocker (NZ) Wins the AJC Derby

The Danny O'Brien trained Shamrocker raced into the history books on Saturday at Randwick, upstaging the boys for the second time this season in winning the Group 1 David Jones AJC Australian Derby (2400m).

Not only is Shamrocker (NZ) (O'Reilly x Bohemian Blues) the first filly to win the AJC Derby in 22 years, she is also the first filly to ever win the Group 1 Australian Guineas / Group 1 AJC Derby double.

Shamrocker's win has given New Zealand two Australian Derby wins this season, with Murray & Bjorn Baker's Lion Tamer (NZ) (Storming Home) winning the VRC Derby.�The New Zealand bred Imabayboy (San Luis) also won the Listed macau Derby on Sunday night.

The win has also seen New Zealand's unparalleled record in the race continue, with Shamrocker the seventh New Zealand bred or sold winner of the AJC Derby since 2000.

Previous kiwi winners include Roman Emperor (2009), Nom du Jeu (2008), Fiumicino (2007), Headturner (2006), Starcraft (2004) and Don Eduardo (2002).

Ridden beautifully by jockey Glen Boss, Shamrocker sat mid-field before being brought into the race at the 600 metres, and raced away from Retrieve in the straight to win the Group 1 feature by over one-and-a-quarter lengths.

"We knew that she would run a strong 2400 metres and that showed on Saturday. They ran a good time which ensured that it would be a tough staying contest and she really finished off the race well," said her trainer Danny O'Brien.

"She has always shown plenty of ability; she beat the boys at two in the Sires Produce but didn't get all the favours in the spring. This preparation everything has gone to plan, we have had an uninterrupted prep, and she has had her chance to show her talent and she has done exactly that.

"The filly has come through the race in good order. It was only her fourth run this prep and we had always planned to back her up in the Oaks, and we can see nothing that will stop us from lining her up on Saturday."

Bought from the Karaka Select Sale for NZ$65,000, Shamrocker is the eighth individual Group 1 winning graduate from the Select Sale this season alone.

"I didn't see her as a yearling, but our Bloodstock Sales Manager Karl Brown saw her and called me to say he had found an O'Reilly filly we should be buying, and the rest is history," said O'Brien.

"We of course had Master O'Reilly who won the Caulfield Cup for us as a five-year-old. They seem to improve with every prep so we are hoping that she will develop into a nice four-year-old and a strong Cups prospect."

Shamrocker will be looking to make it Group 1 victory number three in the AJC Oaks on Saturday where she is now the favourite at $3.20. The race is shaping up as a cracking re-match with the NZB graduate and VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse currently at $3.60 in the market.

Shamrocker was bred by Vern and Margaret Trillo and was bought from Valachi Downs at the 2009 Karaka Select Sale. Her win in the Group 1 AJC Derby was her fourth from 12 starts and took her stakes earnings to over A$1.8 million.

Shamrocker's half-brother by Shinko King was bought by Rogerson Bloodstock at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $200,000.

Standing at Waikato Stud, O'Reilly has been an outstanding sire for New Zealand and his progeny continue to perform all over the Southern Hemisphere. He is now the sire of 47 individual stakes winners including Group 1 winners Alamosa, Swick, Master O'Reilly and The Jewel. He boasts a strong winners to runners ratio of 67% and his progeny averaged over $128,000 for 36 lots sold at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale.