Shalaa Colt Semillion all Courage in Kindergarten

Mark Smith - Saturday April 2

The royally bred Shalaa (IRE) colt Semillion kick-started day one of The Championships at Randwick with a tremendously brave performance in the Widden Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).

Semillion refuses to be beaten (image Steve Hart)

With Willie Pike in the saddle for Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes, Semillion took up the early running, although a fired up first starter Asteria made sure he wasn’t gifted an uncontested lead.

Allowed to drift out to the centre of the track in the straight, Semillion looked beaten several times but kept rallying. He was going as well as anything on the line in defeating the Not a Single Doubt colt Voldemort by a short-neck with the Exosphere colt Spacewalk the same distance back in third.

Carrying the colours of Neil Werrett with a number of the Black Caviar connection involved, Semillion made a winning career debut in the $400,000 Inglis Banner at Moonee Valley before separating Lofty Strike and Daumier in the Group III Blue Diamond Prelude.

At his most recent start, the son of Shalaa (IRE) finished less than two lengths from Daumier when fifth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.

Michael Hawkes said Semillion displayed great courage.

“Willie got him into a nice rhythm. The other horse on the outside just probably annoyed him a little bit, but to Willie’s credit he just let him handle it strong. The part I loved he just dug deep when those horses came at him again,” Hawkes said.

“His first-up run in Melbourne when he won on Cox Plate day was outstanding, and to be fair, had he drawn a barrier in the Blue Diamond, we probably thought he could have won.

Advertisement

Shalaa

“To come up here and frank the form from Melbourne. He’s just a beautiful colt, a great ownership group; we love making colts and have made another one.

“He’s still learning and he’s going to be a better horse next preparation; he’s going to be bigger and more mature and stronger. “We were really worried about the heavy track, but he’s got through that well and that’s all that matters”

Bred by Dorrington Farm’s Robert Crabtree, Semillion was purchased by International Thoroughbred Solutions (FBAA) for $300,000 out of the Blue Gum Farm draft at the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

Semillion a $300,000 Inglis Premier yearling

He is the best of two winners from as many to race out of the Bel Esprit mare Sistonic, a sister to stakes-winner Iconic and a three-quarter sister to the immortal Black Caviar and to the dam of Caulfield Guineas and Golden Rose winner Ole Kirk. (learm more about the breeding of Semillion here)

After missing in 2019, Sistonic foaled a Blue Point (IRE) last August and was covered by Capitalist.

Arrowfield Stud’s Shalaa (IRE) has three lots on offer at the Easter Yearling Sale.

Advertisment

Race Result - Widden Kindergarten Stks Gr3 1100m

Randwick Track: Heavy(9) Time: 1:07.40
1
Semillion
- 2c Shalaa (IRE) x Sistonic (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: W Pike 56.5
Shalaa
2
0.2
Voldemort
- 2c Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Devious Maid (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56.5
3
0.4
Spacewalk
- 2c Exosphere (AUS) x Benenden (AUS) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J Bowman 56.5
4
2.5
Nominator
- 2g Zoustar (AUS) x Designated Driver (NZ) (Danroad (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: B Avdulla 56.5
5
2.9
Bandi's Boy
- 2g The Brothers War (USA) x Tibidabo (AUS) (Hinchinbrook (AUS))
Tnr: D A Williams Rdr: M A Cahill 56.5
6
5.0
Calgary Stampede
- 2c Snitzel (AUS) x Nayeli (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
7
5.6
Insurrection
- 2c Russian Revolution (AUS) x Marple Miss (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: R & M Freedman Rdr: M Zahra 56.5
8
8.5
Kai Tak
- 2f Snitzel (AUS) x Subsequent (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Craig Williams 54.5
9
10.3
Ginger's Gal
- 2f Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Cerberus Gal (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Damian Lane 54.5
10
10.6
Asteria
- 2f Capitalist (AUS) x Athena Lass (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: Rachel King 54.5
11
16.4
Charlie Foxtrot
- 2c Written Tycoon (AUS) x Racy (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Kacy Fogden Rdr: J Parr 56.5
More Reading...
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
Kiwi Bred War Machine Secures Everest Slot
The NZB Ready to Run Sale is never short of graduates flying the flag on Group One stages in Australia. With the 2025 edition at Karaka now less than six weeks away, War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) has put his hand up to continue that trend this spring.
First G1 Winner for St Marks Basilica - 1.7million Filly Undefeated
The top lot at the 2025 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale was a blueblood St Mark’s Basilica filly from blue hen Prudenzia that sold for €1.7million to MV Magnier and she became the first Group I winner for her sire when charging home to win the Group I Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m) at Longchamp.
Rising HK Star for Embellish
Bulb General continued his electric form in Hong Kong to bring loftier targets into play for the son of Embellish.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.
Semillion Breaks a Two-Year drought in Takeover Target Stakes
After racing with little luck, the stars aligned for the 4-year-old Shalaa (IRE) gelding Semillion in Saturday’s $250,000 Listed De Bortoli Wines Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Newcastle.
Aussie Bred Asfoora Wins Third G1 on Arc Day in France
Victorians breeders celebrated overnight with Aussie bred and owned Flying Artie mare Asfoora returning to her dazzling best on one of the world’s biggest stages to win the Group I Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m) with a scintillating performance on Arc Day in France.
Aga Khan Homebred 3YO Colt - 2025 Arc de Triomphe Winner
The Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) was run overnight at Longchamp and one of the world’s great races produced a thriller with blueblood €1.85 millionsale-topping Frankel filly Minnie Hauk going down by a head to the Aga Khan homebred Sea the Stars colt Daryz.