Shalaa Colt Makes an Exciting Debut

Mark Smith - Wednesday September 15

Backed to the exclusion of everything else in the race, the regally-bred Shalaa (IRE) colt Mornington Glory made a winning career debut over 1100m at Bendigo on Wednesday.

Mornington Glory makes a winning debut, Brett Holburt/Racing Photos

Ridden by Luke Currie for trainer Matt Laurie, Mornington Glory raced outside of Snappy Li'l Thing with the pair setting very pedestrian sectionals in the small field.

Mornington Glory looked to struggling to shake off Snappy Li'l Thing at the top of the straight, but with a tap of the whip to keep his mind on the job, Mornington Glory came clear in the closing stages.

The son of Shalaa (IRE) defeated the 4yo Star Witness gelding Foturi by three and three-quarter lengths with 3yo Magnus gelding Spirit Of Pepin a nose back in third.

Laurie has ambitious plans for the winner.

&quo

t;It's a relief. The best winners are the long-priced ones because you don't expect them," Laurie said.

"I've had a big opinion of this horse from the beginning, so it was nice to see him kick off in good fashion.

"He will be better with horses going quicker in front of him, so he can settle off.

Advertisement

"A couple of taps with the stick, and he really put it together late. He will improve a hell of a lot from today.

"I would like to run him in the Danehill (Stakes), and depending on how he goes in that, the Coolmore (Stud Stakes)."

Mornington Glory a $360,000 purchase at the Eduardo Cojuangco dispersal

Bred by Gooree Stud, Mornington Glory was a $360,000 purchase for Matt Laurie Racing/Bahen Bloodstock/Andrew Williams Bloodstock from the Estate of Eduardo Cojuangco at the Magic Millions in 2020.

A half-brother to Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes and Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas winner Hallowed Crown and Group III ATC Carbine Club Stakes winner Needs Further, both successful stallions, Mornington Glory is the final foal of Crowned Glory.

The daughter of Danehill won the Group III VRC Bloodhorse Breeders' Stakes and was runner-up to Belle du Jour in a dramatic Group 1 Golden Slipper in a 7-start career.

The Gooree Stud homebred had eleven colts, with no fillies to continue the line, before her retirement in June last year.

Crowned Glory's dam Significant Moment (Bletchingly) is a half-sister to a pair of Group 1 Australian Guineas winners, the great stallion Zabeel and Baryshnikov.

Shalaa’s return to Arrowfield Stud was perfectly timed with his daughter No Speak Alexander (IRE) earning Group 1 honours in the Leopardstown Matron Stakes.  

Advertisment

Race Result - Bendigo Mazda Mdn Plate 1100m

Bendigo Track: Good(4) Time: 1:05.02
1
Mornington Glory
- 3c Shalaa (IRE) x Crowned Glory (AUS) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: L Currie 57
2
3.8
Foturi
- 4g Star Witness (AUS) x Sayahailmary (AUS) (Keep The Faith (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Fred W Kersley 59.5
3
3.9
Spirit Of Pepin
- 3g Magnus (AUS) x Amaudru (AUS) (King Charlemagne (USA))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Alana Kelly 57
4
4.2
Snappy Li'l Thing
- 4m Bel Esprit (AUS) x Over The Page (AUS) (Danachenka (AUS))
Tnr: Ms D Chapman Rdr: C Newitt 57.5
5
4.7
Magic City
- 4g Magic Albert (AUS) x Townie (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Henry Dwyer Rdr: Ben Allen 59.5
6
8.7
Central Bay
- 5g Kaphero (AUS) x Acid Storm (AUS) (God's Own (AUS))
Tnr: K F Watson Rdr: W Gordon 59.5
7
11.5
The Last Western
- 4g King Of Prussia (AUS) x Western Mist (AUS) (Rustic Amber (IRE))
Tnr: Ms E Haworth Rdr: Tahlia Hope 59.5
More Reading...
Another Aussie SW Sourced from Aga Khan Studs
When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.
Shalaa's Mornington Glory Eyes Off Moir Stakes
Third in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in February, the 6-year-old Shalla (IRE) gelding Mornington Glory showed his love for the track and distance with a maiden stakes success in Saturday’s Paramount Liquor Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley.
Wootton Bassett Winning Whirl
It was a red letter day for Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Curragh overnight with a treble of winners highlighted by top class filly Whirl, who captured the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f), a race won by the mighty Via Sistina in 2023.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Unbeaten So You Think 3YO WA's New Excitement Machine
One month to the day since he first set foot on a racecourse, So You Think’s three year old son  Opportunistic remains undefeated from three starts, is a dual stakes winner with earnings of $200,250 to his name, and is WA's new rising star of the turf.
Big Pedigrees Don’t Always Spell Black Type
The breeding of thoroughbreds is a very inexact science which is why we saw siblings to a pair of Group I winners fighting out the finish of a very pedestrian 1100m maiden at Ballarat on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 29
Here is the full list of 53 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
How Much for a Snitzel Colt from Winx?
The record price for a yearling by the late champion sire Snitzel stands at $2.8million, but that benchmark looks set to be smashed at Inglis Easter next year.
$3million Won Through Inglis Xtra Bonus
A staggering $3m has now been won as part of the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series following today’s victory by the Cody Morgan-trained 3YO Considered at Dubbo.
Euro G1 – Bridesmaid No More and Two Time Derby Hero
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who shook off his G1 bridesmaid tag winning the Group I Grand Prix de Saint Cloud in France, while in Ireland the Coolmore machine kept the winning run going to take out the Group I Irish Derby (1 ½ m).