A horse named for his amorous childhood habits, a trainer threatening a nude run, and a live Golden Slipper dream for them both smack of a rising cult following for the unbeaten Shaggy, winner of the Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Trained by Wyong based Allan Kehoe, Shaggy was taken to Coffs Harbour for his debut where he won by over five lengths, then went to the Sunshine Coast to win again comfortably bbut stepped up significantly in grade for the Lonhro Plate, in a field which included at least two Golden Slipper prospects in Pallaton and Comedy, along with highly rated debutant Skyhook.
With regular rider Aaron Bullock unable to make the weight on the day, Adam Hyeronimus got a late call up, taking him to the lead, and just when it appeared Pallaton was going to mount a challenge, Shaggy found another gear, while Pallaton found nothing.
At the finish he’d defeated Comedy (Snitzel) by 2.2 lengths with Skyhook (Written Tycoon) third.
Before the race, Kehoe explained to Sky Racing’s Chantelle Buckley the origins of the name Shaggy.
“He fancied the girls a bit. He was a bit of a shagger.”
Alas his amorous intentions only served to see him gelded.
“I thought we could win the Breeders Plate with him,” said Kehoe.
“But we did the right thing. We put him away.”
“When I saw him (Pallaton) coming I thought we’re going to run second here but he just finds. He absorbs pressure.
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uo;Aaron (Bullock) said to me last week – ‘best two-year-old I’ve rode’. You ‘ll win a Group One with him.
“I could have done a nude run I was that excited.”
“We all dream of winning the Golden Slipper, so we’ll head that way at the moment. We’ll head to the Todman and then we’ll go from there.”
Shaggy doesn’t hold a nomination for the Slipper so will need to qualify via a lead up race and then pay the $150,000 late entry fee.
He is the fifth runner and fifth winner for Encosta De Lago are Moonrush, a full sister to South African stakes winner Purely Atomic.
The yearling half-sister by Exceedance was sold by Kooringal Stud at the Inglis Classic Sale last week to Kris Lees and Bahen Bloodstock for $60,000, which may turn out to be quite the bargain.
She foaled a colt by Finance Tycoon last year.
Shaggy is the only runner so far for Kooringal Stud based first season sire Sandbar, with Kooringal also sharing in the ownership of him with his trainer.
Sandbar is impeccably bred, being a three-quarter brother by Snitzel to Golden Slipper winner and fellow first season sire Farnan.
He retired to Kooringal as a stakes winner at two and three, and also finished a length and a half 4th to The Autumn Sun in the Group I Golden Rose.
