Shanwah’s victory in the Gr.2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday was timely for his breeder’s Trelawney Stud, who are set to offer his half-brother at Inglis’ Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April.
It was the third consecutive win for the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding, who was having his first tilt at stakes level, and made light work of his opposition when scoring by 1-1/2 lengths.
By Too Darn Hot, Shanwah was a popular commodity at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale, where he was purchased out of Trelawney’s draft by bloodstock agent Cameron Cooke for $750,000.
“He was a beautiful foal and yearling, he had a good walk and a great nature,” Trelawney’s Cherry Taylor said.
Shanwah has subsequently been gelded, and Taylor believes that has been a masterstroke in turning his form around.
“He has certainly got his mind on the job since he has been gelded, winning three in a row and stepping up from a ratings class to a Group Two,” she said.
“He did need gelding because he was quite a good doer. They have certainly done the right thing because there is a lot of money in Australia for a good horse.”
Shanwah is out of three-win Iffraaj mare Lady Sayyida, a half-sister to five-time Group One winner and now stallion Ocean Park, and Ruqqaya, the dam of dual Group One winner and now stallion Grunt and Group Two winner Zaydanni.
While Trelawney unfortunately lost Lady Sayyida 18 months ago, she has left her mark as a broodmare, producing Group One performer Excelida and now Shanwah, and Taylor is excited about the prospects of her yearling Per Incanto colt, who will go through Inglis’ Australian Easter Yearling Sale as lot 20.
“Unfortunately, we did lose the mare, which was really sad,” Taylor said.
“We have got a Per Incanto colt, who is going to Sydney, and he is a cracker, he is every bit as good a type as Shanwah was and is very athletic.
“You only need to have a look at that whole family. It is Ocean Park, Grunt, and Zaydanni’s family. There is a lot going on in that family, and it just gets better and better with age.
“It doesn’t surprise me to see him (Shanwah) hitting his straps as a three-year-old as well. If you look at the history of that family, they have their best years as four and five-year-olds, so I would expect him to go on with it.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
