Fairytale continues as Shaggy enters Golden Slipper picture
Bush battler Shaggy (Sandbar) continued his stratospheric rise up the juvenile ranks when he put his Pierro Plate (1100m) rivals to the sword at Randwick.
The bubble burst for some well-credentialled colts with lofty aspirations when the unbeaten Shaggy – who got his quirky name from a frisky nature which was curbed by a gelding operation – raced away with the prize and in the process earned quotes of just $15 for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m).
Were he to win the world’s richest two-year-old race at Rosehill on March 22 it would complete one of the more unlikely stories in the history of Australian racing.
Trained at Wyong by Allan Kehoe, who signalled that the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick in three weeks’ time would be the next litmus test for the now three-time winner, Shaggy is the sole runner to date from the first-season crop of Sandbar (Snitzel), the newest of five resident stallions at Kooringal Stud near Wagga Wagga in New South Wales’s Riverina region.
Sandbar, a three-quarter brother to Farnan (Snitzel) and the winner of two Listed contests when he was trained by Brad Widdup, covered 60 mares in his first season at a modest advertised service fee of $8,800. However, should Shaggy continue his upward trajectory that service fee would surely also see an exponential rise.
Kehoe struggled to keep his emotions in check in the aftermath of Shaggy’s arrogant dismissal of some blueblood opponents, with the likes of Godolphin’s debut winner Comedy (Snitzel) finishing 2.2 lengths away in second, a half-length in front of Skyhook (Written Tycoon), in a field which also included Michael Freedman’s boom colt Pallaton (Wootton Bassett) and $1.75 million purchase United States (Snitzel).
While the Pierro Plate doesn’t carry black type status, it was won last year by Chris Waller’s subsequent Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) hero Switzerland (Snitzel) so Shaggy is already keeping some elevated company – and Kehoe is convinced his star will continue to rise.
“I thought we could win the Breeders’ Plate with him last spring,” said Kehoe, who has now significantly raised his sights after initially nominating the $200,000 Wellington Boot (1100m) as Shaggy’s primary autumn target.
“But we weren’t that happy with his jump-out so we did the right thing and put him away, and it was probably the making of him because we’re now getting the rewards.
“When I saw Pallaton coming I thought we were going to run second, but he just absorbs pressure and keeps finding.”
Aaron Bullock, who was forced to relinquish the ride to Adam Hyeronimus after failing to get down to 56 kilograms, had labelled Shaggy the best two-year-old he had ever ridden and a Group 1 winner-in-waiting.
Such was his excitement when Shaggy hit the front in the Pierro Plate, Kelloe revealed he had contemplated “doing a nude run” but in the event wisely decided to keep his clothes on.
There is no saying what the trainer might do if Shaggy can muscle his way into the Slipper – although given he doesn’t hold a nomination, connections would be required to stump up a $150,000 late entry fee.
But dreams are at least free, and Shaggy’s salt of the earth trainer would have no qualms about gatecrashing a party normally reserved for racing royalty.
“We all dream of winning the Golden Slipper, so we’ll head that way at the moment,” said Kehoe.
“We’ll run him in the Todman, then we’ll go from there. I don’t know if can get into the Slipper but I do know he’s by far the best horse I’ve ever trained.”
Shaggy had been due to go through the ring at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale but was withdrawn due to a minor scope imperfection and retained to race by Kooringal, who have knocked back several sizeable offers from Hong Kong interests since Shaggy’s 5.7-length debut demolition at Coffs Harbour last month.
Kehoe had previously enjoyed some success with the family through Shaggy’s five-year-old half-sister Moonlight Grace (Scissor Kick), who has two wins and seven minor placings on her CV.
“Kooringal called and asked if I wanted to give him a go, and we went from there,” Kehoe said.
“Sandbar was a pretty handy horse, I break in horses and have done a few by him, and they really tick the box.
“When you break them in it’s like breaking in the big stallions like your Snitzels, they are very smart animals.”
Shaggy is the fifth winner out of the Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) mare Moonrush, a sister to the stakes winner Purely Atomic, who was acquired by Kooringal at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.
Moonrush foaled a colt by Finance Tycoon (Written Tycoon) last spring and Shaggy’s half-sister was sold by Kooringal Stud for $60,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to Kris Lees and Bahen Bloodstock, the potent partnership which plucked recent Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) winner Rivellino (Too Darn Hot) from the same sale.