The Todman Stakes on March 8 looms as the final hurdle between Wyong gelding Shaggy and his Golden Slipper fairytale.
The Alan Kehoe-trained Shaggy ($7.50) kept his unbeaten record intact when he led all the way to win last Saturday’s Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick by 2¼ lengths from strong finisher Comedy, with Skyhook a further half-length away in third place.
“I’m going to the Golden Slipper,” declared Kehoe immediately after the win. “I’ve been working with horses since I was 13. I’m 41 now and this horse is by far the best I’ve had. I’ve said that for a long time.”
Winning jockey Adam Hyeronimus was also impressed.
“He’s a beauty,” he said. “They’ve been very bullish about the horse all the way through. It was good to be able to get on him today.
“The best thing about this horse is that he’s bombproof. He jumps quickly and relaxes well.
“He had pressure in the run, which wasn’t ideal, but he didn’t want to run through the bridle and take off. They took him on at the top of the straight and it was a big tick the way he responded and drew clear.”
Shaggy is not nominated for the Golden Slipper, to be run on March 22. That means the connections will have to pay a $150,000 late-entry fee to get him in.
Shaggy’s earnings for his three wins are not much more than that ($173,375) but the $170,000 winner’s cheque from the Todman would more than cover it.
“We all dream we can win the Golden Slipper so we’ll head that way at the moment,” Kehoe said. “We’ll go to the Todman Stakes and then go from there.”
Kehoe is adamant that he will not press on to the Slipper if Shaggy is not 100-percent right through the Todman.
Finally, spare a thought for jockey Aaron Bullock. Bullock was booked to ride Shaggy but despite his best efforts, couldn’t get down to the 56 kilos on the day.
Shaggy will have half a kilo less than that in the Todman.
Tapa too good
Zac Lloyd was almost resigned to defeat aboard the well backed Tapa Kick ($5.50)when he had nowhere to go with about 200 metres to run in last Saturday’s Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap (1800m) at Randwick.
“It was probably the one position I didn’t want to be in the whole race,” Lloyd said. “Once I was held up I thought, ‘This is going to be a good thing beat,’ but he really quickened late so it was a good win by him.”
Paul Messara, who trains Tapa Kick in partnership with Leah Gavranich at Scone, shared Lloyd’s sentiments.
“I thought we were gone halfway up the straight so to be able to poke through is very exciting for the guys.”
Another Hunter Valley stable in form last Saturday was that of Newcastle’s Kris Lees, who had a winning double at Eagle Farm.
He took out the 1800-metre, Class 3 with $1.80 favourite Barazin before claiming the 2200-metre benchmark 80 with the well-supported Age Of Sail ($3.80).
The Lees-trained winners were two legs of a treble for jockey Andrew Mallyon.
Around the traps
The old firm of Dubbo trainer Connie Greig and prolific jockey Leandro Ribeiro picked up another picnic cup last Saturday with chestnut Dissident mare Laisvas taking the Bedgerabong feature.
Laisvas started $2.20 in the five-horse field and won by five lengths but wasn’t favourite — that honour belonged to third-placd Stateswoman ($2).
Wagga trainer Michael Travers meanwhile was the toast of Holbrook after taking the southern town’s cup with Kahawaty ($5.50), ridden by apprentice Amy O’Driscoll.
Newcastle’s provincial meeting that day saw Grant Buckley ride three winners including Hawkes Racing’s Magna Grecia filly Jayashree ($5.50) in the $60,000 Super Maiden over 1600 metres.
Jett soars
Four-kilo claiming apprentice Jett Newman is sure to be in demand after her remarkable performance at Ballina last Friday, riding four winners on the eight-race card including High Class Roller ($11) and Deep Stealth ($17) for Murwillumbah’s Matt Dunn.
Her other two winners were warm favourites.
On the same afternoon at Tamworth, local trainer Cody Morgan and jockey Aaron Bullock combined to take both legs of the daily double. Scone’s Rod Northam shared the training honours with Morgan.
Shae shines
Sunday’s Port Macquarie meeting saw Taree trainer Wayne Wilkes and his apprentice daughter Shae combine to take out the $150,000 Mid North Coast Country Championships qualifier with Sumo Fish ($65).
In a thrilling finish the winner scored by a half-neck from $81 outsider Mckeon, with $21 chance Bjorn Ironside a neck away in third.
“It was a perfect ride today,” Wayne Wilkes said. “She didn’t panic, got him to the outside and he was really strong.
“She does all the gallops on him basically and works tirelessly in the stables. Proud of her as a father, a boss and everything.”
For her part, Shae was just as positive about the family triumph.
“This horse has been absolutely phenomenal for me and I can’t thank the owner and Dad enough for letting me stick with him.”
Coming attractions
This Friday is the Quirindi Jockey Club’s Showcase meeting featuring the $50,000 Quirindi Cup (1600m), $40,000 Lightning Handicap (1100m) and $50,000 Super Maiden (1450m).
Saturday is Showcase day at Lismore, with the $150,000 Northern Rivers heat of the Country Championship over 1400 metres topping the bill, plus a $50,000 Super Maiden over 1300 metres.
The action continues on Sunday with the running of the $75,000 Mudgee Cup (1400m), a Big Dance qualifying race, Nowra’s Showcase meeting, featuring the South East heat of the Country Championships over 1400 metres and a $50,000 Super Maiden over 1200 metres.
Racing rallies around
Last Friday the Scone Race Club held a fundraising luncheon for the family of the late Sam Kavanagh, who died recently at the age of just 38. The racing community rallied around the bereaved family, raising $200,000, with Racing NSW donating $50,000.