FLEM MAR 06 - SHAMROCKER SURPRISES IN THE SIRES.

By Scott Gooley | Monday, March 8, 2010

Flemington, March 6, 2010.
Track - Dead 5. Rail - True.
Sires Produce Stakes (Group 2 - Set Weights) - 1400m.
Time: 1.23:54 (Carrying 53.5kgs).
1. Shamrocker. 2. Willow Creek. 3. Yosei.

It has been a meteoric rise for the Danny O’Brien trained Shamrocker.

The two-year-old daughter of O’Reilly made her debut in January in a Mornington Maiden where she finished an unlucky fourth. She then came to a mid-week Sandown meeting on February 10 (when stepping up from 1018m to 1200m) and recorded a narrow, albeit solid win.

It was no surprise then that, when she lined up for a tilt at the Group Two VRC Sire’s Produce Stakes (1400m) against some well credentialed rivals, she was sent out as one of the outsiders at $26.

Jumping from the outside gate in the field of nine runners Shamrocker, ridden by Glen Boss, jumped away well but with the well fancied In Faith ($3.80), Willow Creek ($2.70 fav), Ebony Rock ($31) and Luckyi’mbarefoot ($81) all keen to take forward positions, Boss was posted four wide early.

As the field sorted themselves out racing through the first 200m, In Faith led from Willow Creek. Boss, now travelling third, three wide, with Ebony Rock and Luckyi’mbarefoot on his inside, and he had no choice but to try and relax his mount who was a length off the leader.

Sweeping around the home turn Shamrocker, along with Willow Creek, crept closer to In Faith with Ebony Rock waiting for a run immediately behind them.

Straightening for the run home, both In Faith and Willow Creek appeared to be travelling better than Shamrocker who was being wound up by Boss.

Racing past the 300m In Faith, who was later reported to be suffering from an elevated respiratory rate, folded quickly and Willow Creek ran to a length lead from Shamrocker who was responding to Boss’ urgings.

With 100m to run, Shamrocker joined Willow Creek in the lead with Ebony Rock trying to bridge the length margin she was in arrears and Backgammon finishing well from back in the field.

In a tight finish it was Shamrocker who finished the stronger despite racing wide throughout and she recorded a short neck win over Willow Creek with Yosei ($10) finishing well along the rails claiming third a further length away.

Backgammon and Ebony Rock finished fourth and fifth respectively.

WINNER FEEDBACK
Trainer Danny O’Brien: “Three and half weeks off and tracked three and four deep the whole race. Very rarely do they hold on like that and she was probably strongest on the line.

“We’ve always had hopes that she’d be a nice Oaks filly in the spring. She’s a big, long, lanky sort of staying O’Reilly filly, so that’s certainly given us a lot of promise for what she might do in the spring.

“She’s a filly that we just sent to the races to give her a bit of education and she probably should’ve won her first start as well. She’s just improved every start.

“I certainly think she’s more of a mile plus sort of filly. So she’d probably get run of her feet around Caulfield, but she was really able to use that stamina today.

“I’ll see how she does, but I’d say more than likely she’d have the paddock now and we’ll have a lot to look forward to in the spring.”

Jockey Glen Boss: “I said she was going to win a Stakes race. I didn’t realise it was going to be so soon.”

“She was entered for two races today. We looked at the race and I said to Dan (O’Brien), it feels like she wants seven (furlongs) or a mile, so we went with this race.”

“We were trapped wide but, to her credit, she held her composure, she relaxed and never touched the bridle for me.”

“I didn’t think I was going to win, but I thought she’d run a hell of a race and be unlucky to be beaten after being trapped three wide ... but, she’s one of those raw fillies, when you ask her for an effort she just keep responding and gives you everything she’s possibly got.”

“I predict a really good future for her at a mile and beyond when she comes back in.”

“Full credit to Dan. I told him to tip her out after last start and let her grow but, he reckoned she had done so well he wanted to put her in this race. I had my doubts because I thought she was at the end of it, but I should never questioned it should I?”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
In Faith jumped away very awkwardly. Luckyi’mbarefoot was slow to begin.

Shamrocker (NZ) raced wide without cover throughout.

When the pace steadied in the middle stages Ebony Rock had to be restrained off the heels of Willow Creek. Luckyi’mbarefoot got its head up when being restrained in the middle stages. Yosei was held up rounding the home turn.

Near the 100m Ebony Rock was inconvenienced slightly between Shamrocker (NZ) and Willow Creek which shifted out under pressure.

D Oliver rider of Echoes Of Heaven was severely reprimanded under the provisions of AR137A(5)(a)(ii) for using his whip in a forehand manner six times prior to the 100m which is one more time than permissible.

S Arnold (In Faith) could offer no explanation for the disappointing performance of the colt. A post race veterinary examination of In Faith revealed the colt to have an elevated respiratory rate.

The track was upgraded from Dead 5 to Dead 4 at 12.52pm after the running of this race.

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