An incredible day for Rosemont Stud’s Shamus Award at Eagle Farm began with a nine-length winner, Incentivise, and ended with the Edward Cummings-trained Duais, the runaway winner of the $600,000 Group 1 James Squire Queensland Oaks (2200m).
Making her first start since finishing runner-up to the top-class Frankel (GB) filly Hungry Heart in the Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks at Randwick on April 17, Duais was sensationally backed to start the $2.80 favourite.
Given a patient ride by Hugh Bowman, Duais scythed between runners from second last to win by a widening two and a half lengths over Charms Star (Per Incanto) with Signora Nera (Sweynesse) a short-neck back in third.
The Group III Adrian Knox Stakes winner at Randwick, Duais advances her record to four wins and four seconds from 10 starts with earnings of $743,015.
Cummings said it was always the plan to give the daughter of Shamus Award plenty of times between runs.
“We’ve done it already before in the prep. She was about seven weeks between runs from Hawkesbury and Warwick Farm,” Cummings said.
“We took her to the trials about three weeks out from Warwick Farm, put Hugh on in the trial and at Warwick Farm where she ran a PB. I think we just did the same thing and I’m surprised that not enough people found that out before we got here.
“She is a very kind, very willing filly and when you asked her she is very strong. She has an amazing system.
“I win like that that makes you think of bigger prospects in the spring.
“This is all very surreal. I suppose I will come to terms with it in the next few hours, the next few days and perhaps the next few months. There is something about this game that makes you want to get up in the next day and work harder and prove it again and again.”
Duais is a homebred for Matthew Irwin and the Harris family from Queensland who purchased a Johannesburg (USA) filly for $22,000 at the 2009 Scone Yearling Sale.
Named Meerlust, a debut win at Grafton proved to be the career highlight in a 5-start career.
But what an outstanding success she has been at stud.
She has two stakes-winners and a Doomben winner from three of her first four foals.
The first stakes-winner was the charismatic Casino Prince mare Baccarat Baby who won the Group III SunCTC Guineas and Listed SCTC Princess Stakes while banking over $500,000.
Consigned by Telemon Thoroughbreds to the recent National Broodmare Sale, Baccarat Baby was purchased by Spendthrift Stud for $650,000 with the intention of sending her to the first season sire Dirty Work.
Duais is a direct descendant of the great racemare and influential producer Fanfreluche (CAN) the dam of L'Enjoleur, La Voyageuse and D'Accord and ancestress of Flying Spur and Encosta de Lago.
Meerlust has an unraced 2yo sister to Dasis named Amity Gal, but she has not had a foal since. The daughter of Johannesburg (USA) was covered by All Too Hard last spring.
Duais becomes the third Group 1 winner for Shamus Award, and all three have earned the honour in classics. Mr Quickie claimed the 2019 BRC Queensland Derby and Media Award won the SAJC Schweppes Oaks in May .
Shamus Award stands at Rosemont Stud in 2021 at a fee of $33,000.
