John O’Shea saddled three winners on All Aged S. Day at Randwick, with All Hallows’ Eve (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) in the G3 J H B Carr S. followed by impressive performances later in the day by Rocha Clock (Pierro) and Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}).
For good measure, Intrepidacious (Shooting To Win) also won the L. U. Simon Builders H. at Caulfield.
It was a superb end to O’Shea’s carnival, in which Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) was the stable’s headline act with a G1 Randwick Guineas triumph followed by a fourth placing in the G1 Rosehill Guineas, a close third in the G1 Australian Derby and a fourth in the G3 Frank Packer Plate.
Gallery: John O'Shea - trained carnival winners
“It was a satisfying day on Saturday and a nice way to end the carnival,” O’Shea told TDN AusNZ on Sunday.
“I thought it was a pretty good carnival for us overall, although I would have really loved to see Rondinella (NZ) get up to win the Sydney Cup. She ran such a big race for second there, and you’d have to say she was unlucky. So, for me, that Sydney Cup was the difference between a good carnival and an outstanding one.”
All Hallows’ Eve adds to Waikato/Halloween success story
O’Shea has had a long and highly successful association with Kiwi breeding powerhouse Waikato Stud, and All Hallows’ Eve became the latest in a long line of black-type successes with her Group 3 victory at Randwick on Saturday.
All Hallows’ Eve is by dual Doncaster winner Sacred Falls (NZ), who stood at Waikato until his untimely death from liver disease two years ago. His progeny have since given his profile a posthumous boost, featuring the likes of this season’s standout New Zealand 3-year-old Aegon (NZ), Sydney’s big-race bridesmaid Icebath (NZ), Vinery Stud S. placegetter Impecunious (NZ) and three other stakes winners.
The late Sacred Falls (NZ)
The dam of All Hallows’ Eve is Halloween (Encosta De Lago), who O’Shea convinced Waikato Stud to purchase for only NZ$11,000 at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock National Broodmare Sale at Karaka.
“We bought her at John’s insistence, and she had a foot like a cow to be honest,” Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick memorably commented a few years ago.
But Halloween went on to become an outstanding member of the stud’s broodmare band, producing G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel), Saturday’s G2 Easter H. placegetter Hasabro (NZ) (Savabeel), and this season’s O’Shea-trained stakes winners All Saints’ Eve (NZ) and All Hallows’ Eve.
The 4-year-old mare All Saints’ Eve, part-owned by O’Shea’s wife Isabelle, has won four of her 14 starts to date, headed by the G3 Tibbie S. at Newcastle in the spring. She has also placed in the G3 Kembla Grange Classic and Liverpool City Cup, along with a fourth in the Golden Eagle.
All Hallows’ Eve joined her full sister as a stakes winner on Saturday, having recorded two wins and two placings from her six previous appearances. Waikato’s Garry and Mark Chittick bred and race her in partnership with Rosemont Stud.
“That filly won really well yesterday, and it was nice to be able to pick up stakes wins with both of those full sisters this season,” O’Shea said.
“That filly (All Hallows' Eve) won really well yesterday, and it was nice to be able to pick up stakes wins with both of those full sisters this season.” - John O’Shea
“They’re actually two quite different types of horses. This filly is a bit more short-coupled than her sister, and I wouldn’t really expect her to get up over as much ground, but she’s got some good ability.”
O’Shea paid tribute to Waikato’s remarkable successes this season, in which time they have been the breeders of Group 1 stars such as Aegon, Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) and Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel).
“Those stakes wins with All Saints’ Eve and All Hallows’ Eve have continued the great association that we’ve had with Waikato over a number of years now, and they’re just unbelievable breeders,” O’Shea said.
“The amount of good horses they’ve bred this year is absolutely incredible, and it’s a real testament to Mark and the team. They’re an elite operation, and I always love to buy and breed from their horses. You know you’re going to get quality.”
Lost And Running a star on the rise
The most impressive of O’Shea’s quartet of winners on Saturday was Lost And Running in the last race on the Randwick card, the Fujitsu General Sprint.
Ridden by James McDonald, the 4-year-old led all the way and powered clear in the straight, opening up a 4l winning margin and clocking 1:08.75 for 1200 metres.
Lost And Running has now had six starts for five wins and a second placing, with the promise of much more to come.
“He’s a serious horse,” O’Shea said. “I just really believe in him. In what was a very good field, he made them look second rate.
“He gave the clock a good nudge, and Mac (James McDonald) just shut him down nicely and gave him an easy time to the line. We’ve got the utmost belief in this horse, and every time I’ve asked him a question he’s just delivered.”
O’Shea said the exciting sprinter will face his first black-type test in the Listed Luskin Star S. at Rosehill on May 15.
“If you go through it, and I am a great believer in history, horses like Trekking won it and went on to make a really good horse, and I think this horse is a serious weight-for-age horse in the making as a 1200 to 1400 metre horse.
“I think, if he was to win at Rosehill, he will legitimately be a contender for the major sprint races in the spring.”
“I think, if he (Lost And Running) was to win at Rosehill, he will legitimately be a contender for the major sprint races in the spring.” - John O'Shea
Lost And Running is by Little Avondale Stud stallion Per Incanto (USA), who is the leading sire by wins in New Zealand and Hong Kong this season.
Bred in New Zealand by Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock, Lost and Running was bought by O’Shea for $40,000 from Blandford Lodge’s draft at the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
“We were talking about Waikato Stud as a quality breeder, but Blandford is another one that you have to mention,” O’Shea said. “They really punch above their weight and have bred and sold a lot of quality horses over the years, and I think Lost And Running is another one of those.
“He caught my eye at the sales and I bought him there, and then Lib decided that he wanted to stay involved and take a share. It’s a great group of owners, and I think we’ve got a bit to look forward to with this horse.”
O’Shea is also upbeat about the prospects of his other Saturday winners Rocha Clock and Intrepidacious. Rocha Clock has now had 15 starts for six wins, while Intrepidacious is the winner of five of her 19 appearances.
“They’re both going really well, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see either of them pick up a nice stakes win in the near future,” O’Shea said. “They’re talented horses.”
Looking to the spring with Lion’s Roar
But the undisputed stable star is Lion’s Roar, who was bought for just NZ$65,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Part-owned by O’Shea’s parents, the Randwick Guineas hero has earned more than $1 million in his 10-start, four-win career to date. After a recent offer from Hong Kong fell through, O’Shea is now counting down to a big spring.
Lion's Roar (NZ) as a yearling
“He’s a really good horse who’s done such a great job for us this time in,” he said. “I liked him as a yearling, but I had a lot of trouble trying to find owners for him. I ended up getting my parents involved, and it’s worked out really well in the end.
“There was an offer from Hong Kong, but that didn’t work out and he won’t be going there. I’m not disappointed about that at all – I’m pretty happy to be able to hold on to him, and now I’m really looking forward to the spring with him.”
