Possible Melbourne Cup Campaign for Shocking Mare

Media Release - Tuesday March 13

It has been nearly a decade since Rich Hill Stud stallion Shocking won the Group I  Melbourne Cup (3200m) and this year he could have a contender in the race in the form of his Group One-winning daughter Fanatic.

Shona Harris, Sean Kiernan and Ben Hayes - Atkins PhotographyThe Lindsay Park-trained mare once again showed her class over two miles when winning the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup on Monday and her camp believes she is a genuine star over that distance.

Bred and owned by Taranaki dairy farmer Sean Kiernan, the five-year-old mare will now be set for the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) next month before a possible campaign toward the Melbourne Cup in the spring.

"They (trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig) are really keen to put her into the Sydney Cup while she is in good form," Kiernan said. "They said she is a superstar over two miles so we'll keep going.

"The Melbourne Cup has always been the long range goal. She is an elite athlete over two miles."

Kiernan flew over to Adelaide on Sunday morning to watch his mare compete in the Morphettville feature and was duly rewarded when she got the win, although there was a fair bit of anticipation leading into the race.

"David Hayes told me months ago she would win it and the plan came off, so I was very relieved," Kiernan said.

He was also full of praise for expatriate New Zealand jockey Michael Walker, who sat off the speed throughout the race before keeping to the rail on the home turn to take the lead and run away from the field.

The Darren Weir-trained Ormito was her only competition, challenging her to the wire to finish a long neck away in second with Poppiholla a further two lengths away in third.

Advertisement

"We said before the race she is carrying topweight so she needed an easy run if possible and that plan came off," Kiernan said.

He now has a possible Melbourne Cup contender on his hands, a plan that has come together nicely since purchasing Fantatic's dam Komplete Klass.

"Curraghmore supremo Gordon Cunningham bought her for me," Kiernan said. "He had seen one of her foals at Bruce Sherwin's place, Raffles Farms, and inquired what the mother was doing. She was on the way to the Gold Coast sales and we intercepted her in Sydney and bought her.

"She was in-foal to Keeper and we sold that one. I then bred her to Shocking wanting a staying horse."

Fanatic was the resulting foal and she has impressed both Kiernan and Cunningham from an early age.

"She was always a nice type, she turned into the horse we always thought she would be physically," Kiernan said. "She caught Gordon's eye all the way through. Now as a five-year-old she has fully matured."

A Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner for original trainers Graeme Sanders and Debbie Sweeney, Fanatic has gone on to mature into a quality staying horse, adding the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) as well as the Adelaide Cup to her record.

She will now be set for loftier targets and possibly a tilt at the most revered two-mile race in the world, the Melbourne Cup. – NZ Racing Desk.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 26
Here is the full list of 86 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Surprise Baby Out to Emulate Dad in the Melbourne Cup
Winner of the $400,000 Group II Adelaide Cup (3200m) in March, the $5,5000 Gavelhouse purchase Surprise Baby earned a ticket to the $8 million Melbourne Cup on November 5 when he stormed home to win Saturday’s $500,000 Group III The Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington.
First SW For So You Think Stallion Tamasa As Cicala Takes Out Lightning
One of just three named foals by the So You Think stallion Tamasa, the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea trained 3yo filly Cicala remained unbeaten, going three from three by winning the $120,000 Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.
New Stakes-Winner for Cup Hero Shocking
Melbourne Cup hero Shocking has been enjoying success this spring with his classy stayer Surprise Baby, who was fifth in the Melbourne Cup, the Rich Hill Stud based sire also producing a new Group III winner in New Zealand on Wednesday.
Can a Cup Winner Sire a Cup Winner?
In the aftermath of lightly-tried stayer Surprise Baby’s victory in the Group III Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, a ballot-free exemption race for the Group I  Melbourne Cup (3200m), it was hard not to spare a thought for Rich Hill Stud principal John Thompson.
Another G1 Triumph for Aga Khan Stud Bred Gelding
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who made it back to back G1 wins overnight when beating a select field in a tactical battle to win the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1m4f) at Ascot.
Carrazzo Melbourne 'Sport of Kings' Tax Talk
It gives Baumgartners great pleasure to announce that the Paul Carrazzo’s “Sport of Kings” horse tax talk returns to Inglis Melbourne on Wednesday 13 August.
Ninth SW for Shocking
Free-going southern galloper Camino Rocoso led his rivals a merry chase when he dominated proceedings from the front to take out the first of the Trentham features on Saturday, the Group III Barneswood Farm Trentham Stakes (2100m).
More Success for Rich Hill Stallion Shocking
Rich Hill stallion Shocking has had a wonderful start to the season with his progeny to the fore in both Australia and New Zealand.
Zoustar Filly Wander Dune Impresses On Debut In South Africa
Making her debut as favourite in the Race Coast Maiden Juvenile Plate (1200m) at Kenilworth, South Africa on Saturday, 2yo Australian-bred Zoustar filly Wander Dune impressed with an emphatic victory.