Shangri La Boy (AUS)
3 c Pierro – Pelican by Fastnet Rock
O: Mr X Y Huang, Mrs M N Annetts, Mr A D Bowler, Mr F Dimitravis, H & M Racing, Mr R Thwaite, Mr L Caminiti, Summit Thoroughbreds, Mr J D Widdows, Znodz Racing
B: Katom, NSW
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
S: 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale V: Coolmore Stud P: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds, $375,000
W: TAB Maiden Plate, 1400m, Rosehill, October 1
Shangri La Boy (Pierro), a half-brother to Group 2 winner-turned-stallion Storm Boy (Justify), registered an all-the-way win in the TAB Maiden Plate (1400m) at Rosehill on Wednesday.
The three-year-old made amends for his defeat as favourite on debut at Canterbury last month, scoring by 2.2 lengths over Nordic Viking (So You Think) with race favourite Providence (Wootton Bassett) a further 0.9 lengths back in third.
Winning jockey Adam Hyeronimus, who partnered Storm Boy to three of his five career wins, said Shangri La Boy was a talent in his own right.
“He was a very beautiful horse, Storm Boy. It’s hard to find horses that look like him,” Hyeronimus said.
“But he’s [Shangri La Boy] got his own good attributes, this horse. He is [by] Pierro, which might need blinkers in time. But what he’s doing at the moment is very nice and I like the way he handles himself.
“He’s so casual, so relaxed, nothing ever bothers him and I’m sure he will build off the back of today’s win.”
Adrian Bott, who trains the colt in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, said he had been a work in progress, requiring five barrier trials before racing, but was beginning to put it all together.
“He’s going to be a horse that will keep improving as we get out over further. We are just beginning to scratch the surface with his ability,” Bott said.
“We will look to test him. How far we can take him this preparation, I’m not sure, but he’s well and truly got those steps to take in terms of his career.”
Purchased for $375,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale out of Coolmore by his trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds, Shangri La Boy is the second foal and second winner out of the winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Pelican, herself a daughter of NZ Horse of the Year and seven-time Group 1 winner Seachange (Cape Cross).
Pelican has a two year-old filly by Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni), a yearling filly by former shuttler Justify (Scat Daddy) and was covered last spring by the late Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj).