Shamus Award's It's Me Stays Perfect in Kosciuszko

Mark Smith - Saturday October 17

There was plenty against the favourite It’s Me in Saturday’s $1,300,000 The Kosciuszko (1200m) at Randwick. However, this undefeated daughter of Shamus Award is a class apart.

It's Me a class above (Steve Hart)

Earlier in the week, It’s Me had to pass a vet check when she was found to have some mucus and her trainer Brett Cavanough admitted post-race that he came close to scratching her.

Well back and under hard riding by Jason Collett, It’s Me needed to be dragged sideways to force a run in the straight. Once balanced up the Brett Cavanough-trained four-year-old powered home to defeat the seven-year-old Redoute’s choice gelding Redouble by with eight-year-old Zariz gelding Man Od Peace back in third.

It’s Me kept her record at a perfect four for four while banking $816,700 for her large group of owners.

“She’s the best horse. She hit a few little obstacles into the straight,” Collett said.

“I just had to be patient and once I got her into clear air - I didn’t quite see Redouble scooting up on the inside and I just had to ask a bit more of her. It was a far bigger test today, and she passed with flying colours.

Advertisement

“I can’t quite tell you how high she’ll get to, but the way she’s going, I would like to say Group 1.”

Grand Syndicates purchased the daughter of Shamus Award for $65,000 out of the Kitchwin Hills draft at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

A half-sister to Listed winner Youreign (Reset), and a three-quarter sister to the stakes-placed Off The Rails (Snitzel), It’s Me is one of seven winners out of the stakes-placed Celtic Swing (GB) mare It’s You.

A half-sister to Listed stakes-winner Honest Politician (Distorted Humor), the 21yo It’s You has a two-year-old colt by Air Force Blue (USA) who was passed-in short of his $28,000 reserve at the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.

It’s You was covered by Boom Time last spring.

Advertisment

Race Result - The Kosciuszko 1200m

Randwick Track: Good(4) Time: 1:09.60
1
It's Me
- 4m Shamus Award (AUS) x It's You (AUS) (Celtic Swing (GB))
Tnr: B F Cavanough Rdr: J R Collett 53.5
2
0.2
Redouble
- 7g Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Special Mission (NZ) (Towkay (AUS))
Tnr: Mitchell Beer Rdr: Tommy Berry 59
3
1.2
Man Of Peace
- 8g Zariz (AUS) x Ruby Rosewyn (AUS) (Zeditave (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Dale Rdr: Ms L Day 58
4
1.3
Handle The Truth
- 5g Star Witness (AUS) x Assertively (AUS) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: K R Dryden Rdr: N Rawiller 59
5
1.5
Two Big Fari
- 5g Walking Or Dancing (NZ) x Miss Spoken (AUS) (Stratum (AUS))
Tnr: T S Howlett Rdr: G Buckley 56.5
6
2.7
Al Mah Haha
- 6g Al Maher (AUS) x Street Lass (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Tash Burleigh Rdr: K Jennings 56
7
2.8
Fender
- 4g Toronado (IRE) x Ceccanti (AUS) (Arena (AUS))
Tnr: B F Cavanough Rdr: K Mc Evoy 55.5
8
3.0
Irish Songs
- 5g Shamus Award (AUS) x Lucky Songs (NZ) (Johar (USA))
Tnr: Kurt Goldman Rdr: G Boss 57
9
3.1
Anethole
- 4g Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Anise (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: Cody Morgan Rdr: B Avdulla 55
10
3.2
Intuition
- 6g Street Cry (IRE) x Radar (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Kurt Goldman Rdr: S Clipperton 59
11
3.3
Lord Von Costa
- 8g Von Costa De Hero (AUS) x Cashed Up Lady (AUS) (Dash For Cash (AUS))
Tnr: Ms D Scott Rdr: B Mc Dougall 59
12
3.9
Ligulate
- 5g Domesday (AUS) x Florets (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Cody Morgan Rdr: A Gibbons 57
13
4.1
Prairie Fire
- 5g Snitzel (AUS) x Consistency (AUS) (All Bar One (AUS))
Tnr: D A Williams Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56
14
64.3
Ice In Vancouver
- 3g Vancouver (AUS) x Skating On Ice (AUS) (Bradbury's Luck (AUS))
Tnr: Cody Morgan Rdr: G M Ryan 55
More Reading...
Alabama Lass Can Bounce Back
Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have been scratching their heads with their Group One-performed mare Alabama Lass over the last few months, but they received a confidence boost following her win in a Group and Listed 1100m trial at Taupo on Sunday.
Zoustar Stallion Keeps the Winners Coming for Cambridge Stud
Talented sprinter I’m All In showed he was back to his best with a gritty performance to take out the final race on an action-packed day at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Horizon By SKYCITY (1200m).
That's Gold Delivers Milestone for Kiwi Trainer Chris Wood
Ellerslie’s Saturday meeting proved to be a momentous occasion for Chris Wood, with That’s Gold’s dominant win in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) bringing up his 500th training victory in New Zealand.
200/1 Stakes-Winner – How Does That Happen?
A veteran gelding by a Melbourne Cup hero became an unlikely stakes-winner at odds of 200-1 on Saturday!
Sires With Winners - Saturday February 21
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Streisand Half-Brother to Sell at Inglis Premier
Trainer Clinton McDonald and bloodstock agent Shane McGrath teamed up to win their second G1 Blue Diamond Stakes in three years today with Streisand (Magnus) victorious in the juvenile feature at Caulfield.
Best On Breeding
Any breeder would love to walk out to the paddock in the morning and see the field assembled for Saturday's Group II Irresistible Pools Sheraco Stakes. Significantly none of the 13 acceptors would have made the page of top-priced yearlings.
The Power of Zoustar
The leading sire of winners in the world in 2025, reigning champion sire Zoustar makes his presence felt in many ways and we saw that over the weekend with a pair of stakes-winners in the Northern Hemisphere and here in Australia he got his first G1 winner as a broodmare sire.
Go Racing Hold G1 Ambitions for Plan for Lord Penman
Close up in strong company in the spring, Go Racing’s Lord Penman broke through and claimed his first Australian victory in the A$160,000 Racing and Sports Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Kiwi Group I Winners - Glamour Fillies and Blueblood Mare
Two Group I races were run in New Zealand on Saturday producing an Oaks quinella for Cox Plate winning sire Ocean Park and Yulong, while a Cambridge Stud bred and raced mare claimed her first win at the elite level.