It may have been lost in the plethora of stakes races on Saturday however the results of Shamus Award should be noted as he had four winners, two seconds and a third from eight starters on the day.
They include a pair of hugely impressive winners at Randwick with the 4yo mare It’s Me and the 4yo gelding Academy.
It’s Me looks to be a huge untapped talent.
The Brett Cavanough-trained mare kept her record at a perfect three for three when she was catapulted to favouritism for the $1.3 million Kosciuszko with a breathtaking performance in a three-length romp under Jason Collett in the TAB Highway Handicap (1000m) on Saturday.
"I love her temperament. I was watching her walk around the yard before the start in the birdcage and she was the most relaxed runner, I thought," Collett told AAP.
"She feels so easy doing it against these types of horses but she does give you the feel of a classy filly.
"She has only had three starts and the Kosciuszko is the level she should be heading for."
It was a spectacular day for Grand Syndicates who had purchased the daughter of Shamus Award for $65,000 out of the Kitchwin Hills draft at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Later in the day, Grand Syndicated celebrated a Group 1 win in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) with their $6,000 superstar Behemoth (All Too Hard).
It’s You is another good example of why it pays not to ignore the progeny of older mares.
She is the tenth live foal of the stakes-placed Celtic Swing (GB) mare It’s You who has been a fabulous producer with her seven winners including the Listed ARC Great Nothern Guineas Prelude Yourein (Reset) and the stakes-placed Snitzel gelding Off The Rails.
The Mark Newnham-trained Academy came out of the same Inglis Classic sale as it’s Me.
The son of Shamus Award backed up his last start win at Rosehill with another fighting performance at Randwick.
He has now won over $250,000 from his five wins and three placings from 14 starts, a handy return on the $150,00 outlaid by Darby Racing / De Burgh Equine for the Tyreel Stud consigned colt.
Tyreel had purchased his dam Couredge (Show a Heart) for $190,000 at the 2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale when carrying Academy.
It looked an even better decision when Couredge’s Choisir filly Every Rose came out and won the 2019 Group III Gimcrack Stakes, sporting the same set of Darby Racing silks as Academy.
Shamus Award may have been something of a slow burn but he is looking more and more to be another inspired addition to the Rosemont Farm roster.
