Forty minutes after Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) created yet more history, the Randwick crowd was treated to another exciting filly when Shoals (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) made it a second Group 1 win in the Surround S. While Shoals is not yet close to the realm of Winx, she is no doubt among the leaders of her generation and an excellent filly in her own right, having recorded five black-type wins in just over a year on the track. A debut winner last February, Shoals was put away after following up with wins in the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders S. and G2 Percy Sykes S. over 1200 metres. She resumed with a score at listed level at Moonee Valley on Sept. 9, after which she was second in both the G2 Tranquil Star S. and the G1 Thousand Guineas. Shoals closed out that campaign with a class-affirming score in the G1 Myer S. at the Melbourne Cup Carnival, but was let go in the betting here off a surprising eighth first-up in the G3 Kevin Hayes S. on Feb. 10. Taking a tow into the race on Saturday from Shumookh (Aus) (Dream Ahead), Shoals gradually wore down the tiring frontrunner and hit the lead passing the 100. She found the line in time as Torvill (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) came running late. Rimraam (NZ) (Commands {Aus}) and Shumookh dead-heated for third. Favoured Alizee (Aus) (Sepoy {Aus}) rallied tamely through the final furlong after being caught in traffic in the early stretch.
Jockey Josh Parr was earning his third career Group 1 win after picking up the ride from a suspended Blake Shinn, and he told Racing NSW, “I galloped her on Tuesday morning and I was full of confidence. It was a really wet track on Tuesday morning but she gave me so much confidence with how she worked. I had a lot of horse up my sleeve, and I was confident coming here today. I knew I would land in a good spot, in a forward position, and she's a tough, really gallant little thing.”
Pedigree Notes…
Shoals's dazzling pedigree combined with her two top-level wins make her an outstanding broodmare prospect for Arrowfield and Pinecliff Racing. Her dam The Broken Shore, a winner herself, is a daughter of the great producer Shantha's Choice, making her a half-sister to three-time champion sire Redoute's Choice (Aus) (Danehill); Group 1 winners and sires Platinum Scissors (Aus) (Danehill) and Manhattan Rain (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}); Sliding Cube (Aus) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), the dam of Group 2 winner and young sire Rubick (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}); and five-time stakes producer Monsoon Wedding (Aus) (Danehill), among others. Dean Hawthorne signed for The Broken Shore at A$1.9-million out of the Teeley dispersal at Magic Millions in 2014 carrying Shoals. The Broken Shore has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old full-sister to Shoals named Tides (Aus), a yearling colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus) and a colt foal by Medaglia d'Oro. Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree.
Saturday, Randwick, Australia
SURROUND S.-G1, A$505,000, ATC, 3yo, f, Open Set Weight, 1400mT, 1:23.46, Soft.
1–SHOALS, 56.0, f, 3, by Fastnet Rock
1st Dam: The Broken Shore, by Hussonet (USA)
2nd Dam: Shantha's Choice, by Canny Lad
3rd Dam: Dancing Show (USA), by Nijinsky (CAN)
O-Pinecliff Racing (Mgr: J B Munz) & Arrowfield Pastoral Pty
Ltd (Mgr: J M Messara); B-Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd NSW;
T-Anthony Freedman; J-J Parr; A$292,000. Lifetime Record:
9-6-2-0, A$1,362,150. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Torvill, 56.0, f, 3, Not a Single Doubt–Bolero Queen, by
Iglesia. O-B J Garforth, Mrs K Garforth, Dr M A Kowalczuk &
Mrs E W Kowalczuk; B-Dr MA Kowalczuk NSW; T-C E Conners;
J-C Reith; A$94,000.
DH3–Rimraam (NZ), 56.0, f, 3, Commands–Swansea (IRE), by
Singspiel (IRE). (A$340,000 Ylg 2016 MM Gold Coast Yearling
Sale) O-Shadwell Stud Australasia Ltd (Mgr: G M Kelly);
B-O'Shea Family Trust & Rosemont Stud Pty Ltd, Waikato, NZ;
T-D & B Hayes & T Dabernig; J-K Mc Evoy; A$35,875.
DH3–Shumookh, 56.0, f, 3, Dream Ahead (USA)–Shamekha, by
Secret Savings (USA). O-Emirates Park (Mgr: N A H Lootah);
B-Emirates Park Pty Ltd NSW; T-G Waterhouse & A Bott; J-Tim
Clark; A$35,875.
Margins: 0.5 len, 0.7 len, len. Odds: 12.00, 17.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Moss Trip, Alizee, Touch of Mink, Yulong Xingsheng, Melody Belle (NZ), Frolic, Unforgotten.
Click for the Racing Post result.
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