Danny O’Brien is looking at two-year-old Shamexpress, owned in similar interests as dual Group One winner Shamrocker, as more of a long-term prospect despite his impressive debut win at Flemington.
The O’Reilly colt, sent out at $4 in the Summer Heroes Raceday Plate (1200m) and ridden by Dwayne Dunn, showed his four rivals a clean pair of heels to score by four lengths from Galvez ($4.40) with Chasing Kisses ($4.80) 1-1/2 lengths away third.
Shamexpress winning the Summer Heros Raceday 1200 at Flemington - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
However the $130,000 New Zealand Premier Yearling Sale purchase is not in the Group One $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 25.
O’Brien said a possible target for Shamexpress was the Group Two Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 10.
O’Brien and connections are already looking at him as a Derby horse as a three-year-old.
“The owners have been very lucky, they’ve had one O’Reilly, Shamrocker, win the (Australian) Derby and this one has got a really bright future especially when he steps up in ground as a three-year-old,” O’Brien said.
While at a restaurant celebrating the upset win of Shamrocker in the Australian Guineas, O’Brien told Jeff Dimery and some of the other part-owners he had another O’Reilly he had bought in New Zealand and he was theirs if they wanted him.
Dimery and the others were happy to take up the offer.
“He’s got a strong New Zealand pedigree and he moves like a stayer. He tracked around like he could have gone another lap,” O’Brien said.
“It’s good to see him get to the races this early.”
Henia ($3.60 fav) settled last and never looked a winning chance, passing one horse in the 1200m event to finish fourth but only a half-head away from the third-placed Chasing Kisses.
Shamexpress is from the same family as 1984 Caulfield Cup winner Affinity.
AAP TURF
