Shamexpress Mare Ready for G1 Finale

Media Release - Tuesday June 22

The curtain will come down this weekend on what has been a long but fruitful season for Coventina Bay.

Coventina Bay inside will contest the Gr.1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Photo: Grant Matthew (Race Images Palmerston North)

Trainer Robbie Patterson has lined her up nine times this season, for three wins, including victories in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) and Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m).

The daughter of Shamexpress also placed in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m), Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m), and Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).

Her runner-up result in the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes secured her trip across to Brisbane for the Queensland Winter Carnival.

She made a pleasing start to her Australian campaign, winning her 1200m trial at the Sunshine Coast before running seventh in the Gr.2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) at Eagle Farm earlier this month.

Despite the result, Patterson was pleased with her run and said she has taken plenty of improvement from it heading into her main target, the Gr.1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

“She has come through it really well, she just got stuck on the inside, that was our only concern on the day,” Patterson told SENTrack.

“She wasn’t in a place where it was rock hard, so that probably helped her. But it is a tricky track at the moment.

“Coming through the race, she is as sound as a bell and she has licked the bowl ever since.

“She was always going to improve with the run, she hadn’t raced for two months.”

Patterson has welcomed the wet forecast ahead of Saturday and said it would only aid his mare’s chances.

Advertisement

“The forecast is for rain on Friday and Saturday, which will play in our favour more than others I would imagine,” he said.

“Any rain on Saturday would be a blessing for us.”

Coventina Bay had her final piece of serious work on Tuesday morning and Patterson said jockey Samantha Collett gave a glowing report after their track session.

“Her work this morning was as good as she has ever done,” Patterson said. “Sam rode her this morning and she really finished her work off nice and pulled up great. She won’t do too much more between now and Saturday.

“All the signs are that she is in great form.”

While it has been a long season for Coventina Bay, Patterson said she loves being in work, but will head for a well-deserved break after Saturday’s run.

“She has had a few runs, but I have spaced them out all the way through,” he said.

“She had a couple of weeks off before she came here, but she is a happy horse. She just loves being in work and loves racing.

“This is her finale.” – NZ Racing Desk

Visit the profile page for Shamexpress

Shamexpress in upcoming sales:
Advertisment
More Reading...
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 26
Here is the full list of 74 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Friday October 24
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.