The fleet-footed Alabama Express colt Shangri La Express kept his record at a perfect two for two with a courageous performance in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Inglis Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill.
Ridden by Regan Bayliss for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, the near-black 2-year-old colt was made to work before tacking up the running.
He looked a sitting shot at the 200m but kept on kicking to defeat the Per Incanto (USA) colt Rue De Royale by one and a quarter lengths with the Snitzel colt Volatile three-quarters of a length back in third.
A two-and-a-half-length winner of the Kirkham Plate at Randwick when on debut the son of Alabama Express has banked $662,500 and is assured of a spot in the Golden Slipper.
“Excellent win. He had to do it pretty hard from that wide gate,” Bott said.
“He’s a natural two-year-old, he shows good early speed and sustained speed. He’s got that great ability to be able to quicken off that.
“He did that first-up and he’s been able to put in an even stronger performance second-up today. All the makings of a top class two-year-old.
“He’s going to Magic Millions, but we’ve got big plans for him in the Autumn. We need to see whether there’s enough in the tank to do it all, or whether we just focus on the Slipper.
“He got a bit above himself today, in fairness they all paraded a bit warm. He’s doing everything right. He’s a professional, he came across from the wide gate and just came under Regan.”
Shangri La Express was a $220,000 purchase for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Yulong draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the second foal and first runner for the winning Lonhro mare Sent From Above, a daughter of Gooree Stud’s Group III MRC Thoroughbred Club Stakes and Group III STC Birthday Card Stakes winner Gamble Me (Rock Of Gibraltar).
Yulong purchased Sent From Above for $125,000 from the Gooree Park Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.
After foaling a Written Tycoon colt last spring, Sent from Above revisited Alabama Success.
Also, the sire of the Group III Ottawa stakes winner Karavas, Alabama Success has made an encouraging star to his stud career. The Group 1 winning son of Redoute’s Choice stands at Yulong Stud for $22,000.
