Cover image courtesy of Yulong Stud
Sha Of Gomer rattles home to win the Ramornie for husband-wife duo
Sha Of Gomer (Shalaa {Ire}) etched his name into Ramornie Handicap history on Wednesday, delivering a special win for Beaudesert-based trainer Jeff Dunn and his wife Rikki Jamieson, who rode the gelding to a memorable Listed victory at Grafton.
Previously trained by Chris Waller, the talented son of Shalaa (Ire) made his first appearance for Dunn on April 26 at Eagle Farm. Since the stable switch, he has flourished, posting three wins and a runner-up finish in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes from six starts. His overall record now reads eight wins from 34 starts, and just under $500,000 in earnings.
The Ramornie delivered the expected early tempo, with Compelling Truth (I Am Invincible) pushing forward to lead and The Big Goodbye (Host {Chi}) racing to his outside. Barber (Exceed And Excel) landed a perfect trail, while Sha Of Gomer travelled sweetly in fourth, albeit strung up between runners.
When they turned for home, Compelling Truth gave a strong kick, but Sha Of Gomer, always travelling comfortably under Jamieson, eased into the clear at the 150-metre mark and quickly put the race beyond doubt with a powerful finishing burst.
When asked to describe how big the win was Dunn explained to media “It’s absolutely huge.
Jeff Dunn | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“What a thrill to win such a special race. I’m overwhelmed with the support that we’ve had with this horse. To win this race is really special. This would have been great for me, but it will never be surpassed in my career.
“What a thrill to win such a special race. This would have been great for me, but it will never be surpassed in my career.” - Jeff Dunn
"I can’t believe it’s happened and it’s really special to share it with Rikki.
"As long as she remembers who’s boss, we’re all good.”
Sha Of Gomer was a $320,000 purchase by Mulcaster Bloodstock and Chris Waller Racing from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He boasts a strong pedigree, being by Shalaa out of Pocket Power (USA) (Giant’s Causeway), a winner over 1600 metres. Pocket Power is a three-quarter-sister to Delectation (Shamardal {USA}), winner of the G1 Darley Classic, and a half-sister to the dam of Artorius, who claimed the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes and G1 Canterbury Stakes before retiring to stud at Newgate Farm.
Sha Of Gomer as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The family also includes rising star stallion Southport Tycoon, a dual Group 1 winner, now standing at Widden Stud Victoria.
Pocket Power has continued her broodmare career with a 2-year-old filly named La Potenza (Flying Artie), a weanling colt by Supido, and is due to foal to Hawaii Five Oh this September.
Grand Prairie stamps himself as one to watch
Yulong’s famous green silks were out in force on Wednesday at Kensington, with their champion sire Written Tycoon producing a strong quinella in the 2-year-old colts and geldings maiden. Both colts are raced by Yulong and look to have bright futures.
The honours went to the Peter Snowden-trained Grand Prairie (Written Tycoon), who enjoyed a lovely run in transit before pushing into the clear at the top of the straight and holding off the fast-finishing Pictor (Written Tycoon), who came from well back in the field with a slashing late burst. The race favourite Ninja (Farnan) threaded through runners to finish third, just over a length and a half from the runner-up.
It looks a race worth following, with several of the juveniles shaping as city-grade prospects heading into the spring.
Grand Prairie had shown good ability in his first preparation, running second on debut at the same track in March, then finishing a close fourth before being tipped out for a break. He returned with two solid trials and clearly appreciated the extra time, producing a sharp performance first-up.
“He’s a nice horse and we’ve always liked him,” said trainer Peter Snowden.
“He was still wanting to look around at the other horses and stargaze, and if he can win doing that, you know he’s only going to improve. The more experience he gets, the better he will be and he’s a nice horse going forward.
Grand Prairie winning the Maiden Plate at Randwick | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“He’s in at the right time of year and he's ready to launch with a lot of good racing coming up. It's up to him whether he keeps stepping up, but he’s got a great pedigree and is out of a very good mare.
“He’s (Grand Prairie) in at the right time of year and he's ready to launch with a lot of good racing coming up. It's up to him whether he keeps stepping up.” - Peter Snowden.
“It's a pleasure to have the Yulong horses going well. It's not a bad race either, there is a bit of depth in that so the fact is he has won and won like that, and he's still learning."
Grand Prairie is the second live foal out of Viddora (I Am Invincible), a top-class sprinting mare who won nine races including the G1 AJ Moir Stakes and G1 Winterbottom Stakes. Yulong purchased Viddora for $2.55 million at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and she has made a strong start to her career at stud.
Grand Prairie as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Her first foal, O’Invincible (Snitzel), has already won twice, and Grand Prairie now adds more depth to the page. Viddora has recently foaled a weanling filly by Diatonic (Jpn), and is due to foal to Pierata this spring.
Grand Prairie himself was offered through the Yulong draft at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale but failed to meet his $500,000 reserve.
Custom cruises to victory
The Godolphin-bred and owned filly Custom (Street Boss {USA}) delivered a stylish return to racing on Wednesday, cruising to an impressive win in the 2-year-old fillies maiden under a confident ride from Zac Lloyd.
The James Cummings-trained galloper was having her first start since the Autumn, and looked to have taken significant benefit from her break that included placings at Canterbury and Kensington, as well as a solid seventh in the G3 Magic Night Stakes behind Memo (Capitalist).
Video: Watch race replay of Custom, video courtesy of Racing NSW
In the running Beside The Ocean (Zoustar) crossed from a wide gate to take up the lead, and the well-backed Fairway To Heaven (Zoustar) followed to sit outside her, Lloyd elected to settle Custom near the tail of the field, second-last in the run. It proved a masterstroke.
As Fairway To Heaven loomed alongside the leader at the 200 metre mark, Lloyd was already producing Custom down the outside, and the response was electric. She let down with a smart turn of foot and put the race away in just a few strides. Eased down late, she scored by just over a length from Beside The Ocean, with Fairway To Heaven boxing on okay for third.
Godolphin stable representative Darren Beadman praised both the filly and her rider post-race.
Custom winning the Maiden Plate at Randwick | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“Well done to Zac Lloyd, he made the executive decision there as we intended to ride her on speed and be in the box seat, but when she stepped away slow, he was able to balance her up and get her into a rhythm,” Beadman said.
“When she went through her gears she showed that little bit of class she showed last time in, but back then she didn’t have the strength to finish it off like she did today.”
Custom is bred on a strong international cross. She is by Street Boss (USA), and her dam Wedding Veil (Ire), an unraced daughter of Dubawi (Ire), has already produced four winners. Her grandam Gossamer (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) was a champion 3-year-old miler, who won the G1 Irish One Thousand Guineas and G1 Ascot Fillies Mile.
Gossamer went on to produce seven winners herself, including Ibn Khaldun (USA) (Dubai Destination {USA}), winner of the G1 Racing Post Trophy at two.
Darren Beadman | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Custom also shares close relations with the Godolphin-raced Zardozi (Kingman {GB}), the exciting juvenile Saba Desert (Dubawi {Ire}), and the successful stallion Barathea (Ire).
Since producing Custom, Wedding Veil has foaled a yearling filly named Flower Crown (Victor Ludorum {GB}), a weanling filly by Anamoe, and is due to foal to Cylinder in late November this year.
Exit comes out on top in a Bivouac quinella at Sandown
Promising Bivouac filly Exit lived up to her price tag with an impressive return win at Sandown on Wednesday, as her sire picked up the quinella. The 2-year-old filly, trained by Ciaron Maher, was a $675,000 purchase at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Mill Park Stud, and became the most expensive yearling by her sire to date.
Exit debuted in February, finishing ninth in the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) behind Palm Angel (Starspangledbanner). While unplaced on paper, the run had merit, and she was immediately spelled and given time to furnish.
Returning off that break, Exit put in a strong showing in the hands of Blake Shinn, who is chasing the Melbourne Jockeys Premiership, and this win was part of a treble on the card.
It was another Bivouac filly, Expulsion, who took up the running under Ben Melham, with Savannah Chill (NZ) (Savabeel) slotting in just behind. Favoured runners Lope De Lardo (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) and Exit settled off the speed, allowing the leader to pinch a margin into the straight.
Expulsion gave a bold kick and looked the winner momentarily, but Exit loomed with intent at the 150-metre mark and proved too strong, powering away to score comfortably. Lope De Lardo made good late ground to finish third, completing a well-run juvenile contest.
Blake Shinn | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Blake Shinn was glowing in his post-race assessment of Exit.
“She is a gorgeous filly with a good physical and a good brain. She was quite an expensive yearling and she's got a good pedigree, but that doesn't always account for everything,” Shinn said.
“She (Exit) is a gorgeous filly with a good physical and a good brain. She was quite an expensive yearling and she's got a good pedigree.” - Blake Shinn
“She had a good debut at her first run (G2 Blue Diamond Prelude), although there's a ninth on the form guide, I thought her run had a lot of merit. She’s had a bit of time between preparations and had trialled up nice. She relaxed early and had the benefit of the big straight here today and that helped her.
“She got to the front, idled down and won with a bit in hand, so there is plenty of upside.”
When asked about her scope and where she might progress to, Shinn was confident she had the attributes to stretch out in distance and target bigger races.
“I think she's got scope to get out to a mile as her pedigree suggests, and she could be on a Thousand Guineas type of path,” he said.
“I think she's got scope to get out to a mile as her pedigree suggests, and she could be on a Thousand Guineas type of path.” - Blake Shinn
“You often see horses in the back end of winter come here and some good horses can come out of it and I think she'll be one of them. She's got a great demeanour about her and a good constitution, and she's in the right camp, so they will point her in the right direction.”
Exit is the second foal, and second winner, from Secretly Discreet (Lonhro), a winner over 1200 metres. She is a half-sister to Too Darn Discreet (Too Darn Hot {GB}), winner of the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes, and Really Discreet (Helmet), a five-time winner and Listed placegetter.
Exit as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Exit’s grandam, Maybe Discreet (Shamardal {USA}), was a top-class racemare who won the G1 Schweppes Oaks and the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes.
Since producing Exit, Secretly Discreet has foaled a yearling filly by Farnan, but unfortunately slipped to Anamoe following her most recent service.
Bivouac is establishing himself as a promising sire, now responsible for six winners in his first crop, including three stakes winners: Beiwacht, Intention, and Luana Miss.
