Leading Randwick trainer John O’Shea doesn’t often appear at modest provincial meetings on a Tuesday, but he was at Hawkesbury to oversee the winning debut of a Capitalist filly that is going places.
Ridden by Tommy Berry, Junqueira was tuned up with a couple of recent trials, but was not expected to trouble expensive Shalaa (IRE) colt Sir Ming, who was also making his debut as a short priced favourite.
She travelled behind the leaders and was cluttered up on the fence turning for home, but when eventually angled into the clear Junqueria worked through her gears arriving on the line to win the 1100m maiden by head.
“She had to overcome some adversity in what looks a strong maiden, so she’s done a great job to win,” said John O’Shea.
“Good horses tend to do good things at their first start. We’ll let her work through her grades and learn her craft, but I believe she’s a stakes filly of the future.”
An $80,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Newgate Farm draft for Mystery Downs/John Foote Bloodstock, Junqueira was bred by SF Bloodstock and is the second winner from imported stakes-winner Bibby (USA), who died in 2019 with Junqueira her last foal.
Junqueira is the sixth new season winner for Capitalist, who has hit the ground running and stands at a fee of $99,000 this spring at Newgate Farm.
