The Ciaron Maher stable has had a 12-month plan for Shockletz which it hopes will pay a dividend at Flemington.
The 2026 Melbourne Cup has been a long-term plan for the daughter of Shocking, himself a winner of the Cup.
But Shockletz needs to win her way into Cup calculations which the Maher team hopes will come on Saturday in the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m).
The Archer Stakes provides the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3.
There will be another ‘Cup qualifier’ at Flemington, The Bart Cummings on October 3 with the Geelong Cup and Moonee Valley Gold Cup, which off the winner a ballot exemption, later that month.
Shockletz had a nice run of form 12 months ago where she won four races with Harry Coffey in the saddle.
The last of those was last October with the mare’s only win since coming at Pakenham in December.
Coffey returns to the saddle on Saturday and Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, said blinkers were also being applied.
“We’ve put some headgear on her,” Turnbull said.
“She travels well, but when they quicken, she’s flat-footed, and then she picks up again.
“We are third-up, a mile-and-a-half, essentially, and a bit of headgear, it should play to her favour, plus she likes big tracks and this has been a 12-month plan for her.
“We were conscious of what she did two preps ago and then we freshened her up to be on fresher legs, so that if she does qualify, she has not been taxed come the bigger races.”
The Maher team has had previous success with stayers racing through winter and then making their presence felt in the Melbourne Cup.
Turnbull pointed to Persan, Grand Promenade and Berkshire Breeze as examples.
Stablemate Jennivamoose is also in The Archer having ran fourth in the race last year.
Jennivamoose has only had two runs since, finishing third on both occasions at Caulfield and Turnbull said she will appreciate the rise in distance.
“She ran enormous at Caulfield last time,” Turnbull said.
“She’s had two wide gates this prep and had to go back and made really good ground.
“We’re looking forward to her getting out to this trip.”
