Michael Moroney trained Shenzhou Steeds has continued his unbeaten Australian record since arriving from New Zealand by winning today’s Sunshine Coast Guineas ahead of Under The Eiffel in second position and race favourite Benny’s Buttons in third.
Heavyweight New Zealand jockey Chad Ormsby will clearly make a bloodstock agent when his battle with weight eventually gets the better of him.
Ormsby identified Shenzhou Steeds as a future topliner after he won on the gelding in New Zealand last preparation and his judgment was proven correct when the three-year-old won the $100,000 Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) on Saturday.
Winning trainer Mike Moroney gave all the accolades to Ormsby after Shenzhou Steeds won the Listed feature and the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer said the underrated rider was the catalyst behind the gelding coming into his care.
“He’s a lovely horse and we only bought him on Chad’s advice,” Moroney said.
“Chad rang me up after he’d won on the horse and said he was a very good horse because he’d ridden him badly.
“I watched the replay and it was a bit of an ordinary ride but I was undecided and then Chad rang me again and told me the horse was starting again on a wet track and the horse wouldn’t handle it.
“He ran fourth that day so we put in a lower offer and got him.”
Shenzhou Steeds ($7.50) took his Australian record to three wins from three starts when he defeated Under The Eiffel ($7) by 1-1/4 lengths with Benny’s Buttons ($4.60) a nose back third.
The beaten brigade had no excuses and Benny’s Button’s rider Chris Munce said his mount had every chance.
“He had a lovely run and travelled really well during the race but he was beaten by a better horse, the winner was just too good,” Munce said.
Ormsby has enjoyed good success during his Queensland stay and the 22-year-old, who served his apprenticeship with Lance O’Sullivan in New Zealand, said he was confident Shenzhou Steeds could take the next step to top company.
“He’s well overdue for the paddock and at the end of the day he was too good for them,” Ormsby said.
“He’s been an immature horse all the way along and I think he can develop into a Cups horse – he’s got untapped potential and is a really good galloper.”
AAP TURF
