7-length Romp for Recommendation in Sir John Monash Stakes

Mark Smith - Saturday July 13

Returning from a 15-week break, the 4-year-old Shalaa (IRE) gelding Recommendation turned a competitive Listed Sportsbet Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield into a 7-length walk-in-the-park.

Recommendation  in splendid isolation (image Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

Given a positive ride by Blake Shinn, the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding rounded the home turn under double wraps. When the brakes were released, Recommendation left his rivals in his wake.

Party For Two (Sidestep) was a distant second, with the winner’s stablemate Mrs Chrissie (Per Incanto) back in third.

Advertisement

With the Group III Zeditave Stakes and Listed ATC Razor Sharp Handicap under his belt, Recommendation advances his record to seven wins, three seconds, and three thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $721,795.

“He wasn’t beaten far in the Oakleigh Plate on a firm deck, but I didn’t expect him to win that easily,” Maher said.

&ldq

uo;Normally, we take him to a couple of jumpouts before racing, but his recovery and data were very good.

“Blake rang me earlier and said he was the horse he wanted to ride. Credit to him, he rode him very well.  

“He will probably run in the Bletchingly rather than the Aurie’s Star; he looks as if he has not turned a hair, so hopefully, he is in for a good spring.”

Bred by Pacific King Pty Ltd, Recommendation, races for a large group of owners, which include Nick and Gail Psaltis.

He is the best of three winners from four to race out of the unraced Street Cry (IRE) mare Adviso (USA), a daughter of the 4-time Grade 1 winner Proviso (Dansili).

Adviso has a yearling sister to Recommendation, who was a $150,000 purchase for Satomi Oka Bloodstock (FBAA)/Omen Bloodstock from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. 

After foaling a filly by THe Autumn Sun last spring, Adviso (USA) was covered by Snitzel.

Recommendation is one of 17 stakes-winners for Invincible Spirit’s Group 1 Middle Park Stakes and Prix Morny winner Shalaa (IRE), who stands at Woodside Park Stud for $19,800 in 2024.

Advertisment

Race Result - Sir John Monash Stakes Gr3 1100m

Caulfield Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:04.65
1
Recommendation
- 4g Shalaa (IRE) x Adviso (USA) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: B Shinn 58.5
Shalaa
2
7
Party For Two
- 3f Sidestep (AUS) x Ponte Roma (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: S O'Dea & M Hoysted Rdr: M J Dee 56
MM Gold Coast March Yearling Sale $0
Seller: Telemon Thoroughbreds, Innisplain, Qld (As Agent for B Cheyne Bloodstock)
Buyer: Psd $55000 Res $60000
3
7.5
Mrs Chrissie
- 5m Per Incanto (USA) x Turf Fire (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Ethan Brown 56.5
4
7.8
Ashford Street
- 6g Moshe (AUS) x Magic By Gosh (AUS) (Magic Albert (AUS))
Tnr: Tom Dabernig Rdr: Damian Lane 58.5
5
9.5
Mornington Glory
- 5g Shalaa (IRE) x Crowned Glory (AUS) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: Gavin Bedggood Rdr: Beau Mertens 58.5
6
9.6
Little Miss Kubi
- 4m Headwater (AUS) x Miss Eisenstadt (AUS) (Manhattan Rain (AUS))
Tnr: C I Brown Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 56.5
7
15.1
Senegalia
- 5m Street Boss (USA) x Catechuchu (AUS) (Catbird (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Celine Gaudray 56.5
8
16.4
Sheva
- 3f Written Tycoon (AUS) x As It Lies (AUS) (Foxwedge (AUS))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: Jye McNeil 56
More Reading...
Third Group III on the Bounce for Recommendation
Recommendation is in the best form of his life, adding Saturday's Group III Vale Black Caviar Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield to recent wins in the Group III Sir John Monash Stakes and Group III Bletchingly Stakes.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
North Pacific 2YO Ready to Win
Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners on Saturday, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 4
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Recommendation Claims the Monash - Bletchingly Double
The favourite Recommendation led home a 1-2 for Shalaa (IRE) in Saturday’s $200,000 Group III Race-tech Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield to become the third horse to capture the Monash – Bletchingly double.  
Wootton Bassett 2YOs on the March
Wootton Bassett’s star Northern Hemisphere two year-old Albert Einstein has been ruled out of Royal Ascot with a sprained joint that will require a few weeks off, but the red hot sire added two more talented debut winning juvenile colts at The Curragh overnight.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Blueblood Import - American-Bred Jillaroo Records First Win
Purchased at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Ciaron Maher, the now 4yo mare Jillaroo (USA) (Curlin) initially started her racing career in the United States but after an Australian debut second at Caulfield in early May, recorded her maiden victory at Doomben.
A Passion That Lasts a Lifetime
A passion for pedigrees and thoroughbreds is often one that lasts a lifetime and so it has been for one of the co-breeders of Bravery, who contacted me this week following our earlier and very well read story on current 2YO star Cool Archie.