Sunshine In Paris justifies big-ticket price with Sheraco win
Sunshine In Paris (Invader) went someway to repaying the $3.9 million spent on her by prominent breeder John Camilleri at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale earlier this year, when she added a second stakes win to her record in the Sheraco Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Rosehill yesterday.
The Annabel Neasham-trained Group 1 winner, who was one of the headline acts of the Gold Coast sale in May, careered down the outside of the eight-runner field, coming home under hands-and-heels riding by Ryan Moloney to record a comfortable three-quarter-length success over the chasing Espiona (Extreme Choice), in a race record time of 1:08.80.
Zapateo (Brazen Beau), the $2.35 favourite, finished third, beaten a length and three-quarters by the winner, but was never in contention after Sunshine In Paris peeled off her heels and galloped straight past.
The trimuph marked a fourth win from six starts for the daughter of Aquis Farm’s Invader (Snitzel), who rubber stamped the talent shown when scoring a narrow win in the Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at her last start in February.
The four-year-old filly is another who could have her campaign tilted towards an Everest, with Neasham talking up the prospect of gaining a start in the $20 million contest post-race.
“I’m very happy, she’s been a great filly and that was only her sixth start,” Neasham said.
“We had her pretty ripe for today. The race set up looked ideal with all the speed in it. She was lining up against a proper group of mares today and we thought she could do it but it’s so pleasing to see.
“I’m certainly happy to take a slot in The Everest from anyone who’s got one. She’s good enough, she’s shown that today. She was first up today … and she can keep bubbling along to the middle of October. We might not run her again and we’d look at a Golden Eagle over 1500 metres later in the campaign. But we’ll talk to John Camilleri and see what he wants to do.
“John is a great supporter of the game and James Harron, who purchased her, and hopefully she can repay them.”
Sunshine In Paris (4 f Invader – Zenaida by Zabeel), who was a $90,000 buy for Champagne Bloodstock at last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, is the third foal out of Zenaida (Zabeel) and a three-quarter sister to Group 3 scorer Macroura (Snitzel). Zenaida was covered by Maurice (Screen Hero) last spring.