Godolphin has produced its fifth two-year-old winner this season in Sampeah who trainer John O’Shea says can develop into a genuine Golden Slipper contender.
O’Shea was full of praise for the colt after Sampeah cruised past his rivals in the straight to take out the TAB.com.au Plate (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Sampeah
“He’s just a bomb-proof little beauty,” O’Shea said.
“He’s such an adaptable little colt with a great attitude.”
The winner of his only barrier trial before his debut, Sampeah was sent out the $2.10 favourite and beat Let’s Make It Rain ($5.50) by a length.
With Sampeah’s stablemate Bantam scoring at Mooney Valley on the same day, O’Shea acknowledged sire Exceed and Excel for producing winning two-year-olds at Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley stud.
He compared Exceed and Excel to noted sire and Golden Slipper winner Rory’s Jester, but with a bit more quality, and a bit tougher.
The Godolphin stable has decided which two-year-olds will run in the Blue Diamond in Melbourne in preparation for the Golden Slipper, O’Shea said.
These include colts Bantam and Mesa, filly Antelucan as well as another filly the stable has not yet revealed.
While the colts have the edge at this stage with four of the five two-year-old wins, O’Shea said the fillies yet to race may be Godolphin’s most promising young gallopers.
“Our best are probably our fillies that come later on,” he said.
“They’re probably about three weeks away.”
O’Shea said Sampeah would now have a well-earned rest after Saturday’s win ahead of a campaign aimed at the $3.5 million Golden Slipper in March.
