Shoals remains unbeaten after head-bobbing Percy Sykes Stakes win
THE amount of betting support on Shoals was telling as the talented filly scored a head-bobbing win in the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick.
The well-bred daughter of Fastnet Rock won its first two starts leading into its run at The Championships and the punters followed it in. It was backed into $3 at Ladbrokes.com.au late in the betting and it narrowly got the job done in front of an unlucky Formality.
Jockey Mark Zahra settled the two-year-old off the pace in what turned out to be a tightly compacted field. As Formality was trying to find its way through the field, Zahra pulled Shoals to the outside and it let down with a resilient sprint.
“It was a great win, got a bit lost here and there in the run,” Zahra said.
“I always thought she was going to win, but then as I got her head in front all of a sudden she half put the brakes on, I was just lucky she had a bit of momentum to hold off the horse on the inside.”
Zahra was aboard its win in the Thoroughbred Breeders’ last start at Flemington and believes it’s better sitting off the pace and striking late.
“She won her maiden race and then was okay up the straight the other day, we always thought she had the ability,” Zahra said.
“I was actually glad today the way it panned out, because she is a lot better chaser, especially going the other way.”
Co-trainer Lee Freedman admitted the filly didn’t look overly impressive early on, but he’s impressed with what it has shown on the track.
“She didn’t show us a whole lot early but this prep she’s been fantastic and to be a group three and a group two winner, unbeaten in three starts, she’s a filly of great promise,” Freedman said.
“I don’t think she really handled the track.”
Freedman was confident it could handle running at The Championships after winning the Breeders’ last start and he thinks the 1000 Guineas could be the ideal target.
“We went from a maiden to the Breeders and I said if she wins this, and only if she wins this, we’ll take her to Sydney,” he said. “It’s a great thrill to win this for John, he’s been a great supporter of mine for 25 years.
“She’s done a great job and she deserves a break and she may be a genuine 1000 Guineas filly the way she raced today.”
Formality finished an unlucky second placing after Craig Williams couldn’t find clear running room in the straight. The filly once again proved that Blue Diamond form is good enough to compete throughout the Sydney autumn carnival.
Serena Bay battled into third and jockey Tim Clark thought it was going to win in the straight, but it was found wanting late.
“At the top of the straight she quickened and I thought she was the winner but she just couldn’t find that extra length and put the race away but she is a good filly,” Clark said.