Gai Waterhouse will take the wraps off blueblooded colt De Shamekh who will make his debut in Saturday’s Inglis Nursery at Warwick Farm.
By Encosta De Lago out of Waterhouse’s grand mare Shamekha, De Shamekh has been sent to the races on the back of one barrier trial, a win at Warwick Farm last month.
Bruce Slade, racing manager for Waterhouse, described De Shamekh as a professional with an attitude to match.
“He’s a wonderful style of horse,” Slade said.
“He is very forward and he’s got a great temperament.
“He’s had a trial and a good, solid hitout on the grass on Tuesday morning. He’s fit and ready to go.”
De Shamekh is the third foal from Shamekha who won the Group One double of the TJ Smith and All-Aged Stakes in the autumn of 2005.
While her first two foals to race – Hawkesbury maiden winner Al Aseel and Shamekha’s Choice – are yet to set the racetrack alight, Slade believes De Shamekh will measure up to the better quality two-year-old races.
“We’d like to see him progress through this and head to bigger and brighter things,” Slade said.
“He’s got the right constitution and temperament and he’s done everything we’ve asked of him in his trackwork.”
The $250,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m), part of the Inglis bonus series of races, will be held for just the third time on Saturday.
The winner will have big shoes to fill with the first two runnings going to Chance Bye, who went on to win the 2010 Silver Slipper, and Pane In The Glass who was placed in both the Group One Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes.
De Shamekh, to be ridden by Waterhouse’s stable jockey Nash Rawiller, has drawn barrier two in the field of 12.
AAP TURF
