Another commanding performance in Saturday’s A$500,000 Gr.2 DCE Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley has booked rising star three-year-old Shanwah a shot at the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) ahead of his move to Hong Kong.
A $750,000 Karaka yearling purchase by Cameron Cooke Bloodstock on behalf of owners Kevin and Vikki Payne, Shanwah commenced his career as a colt and was a placegetter at Canterbury in the spring. Gelding has proved to be the making of the three-year-old, who has now won four races in succession.
He was a 1600m maiden winner at Mornington on January 22, which he followed up with a win over 1800m on Caulfield’s Heath track on February 10. Shanwah has kept his winning sequence intact since trainer Ciaron Maher stepped him up to stakes class, putting together back-to-back Group Two victories in the Autumn Classic (1800m) and Saturday’s Alister Clark Stakes.
Sent out as a $2.20 favourite, Shanwah was checked shortly after leaving the starting gates, but soon recovered and moved into a comfortable position in fourth and one off the rail. Jockey Ethan Brown allowed him to stride forward coming down the side of the track, taking command before the home turn.
Shanwah asserted his superiority down the straight, opening up a winning margin of two lengths over fellow New Zealand-bred Imperialist.
“He can measure up, certainly,” Brown said. “The higher the pressure for this horse, the more it will switch him on. When he cruised around them, he was trying, but he had more to give, I feel.
“I thought he was toying with them a bit there. He’s a horse of very high class. He’s a horse that has continued to improve. The 2000m was no worries to him at all.”
Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull revealed after Saturday’s race that Shanwah has been sold to Hong Kong.
“It was a deal that was done privately with Kevin (Payne), but we’ve got him to train for the Derby,” Turnbull said. “I am sure he got a good return, otherwise he wouldn’t have let the horse go.
“Thankfully, the clients that bought into him have allowed us to stay in Australia to run in these two races. But I believe they take over ownership before the Derby, so you might see the horse in different colours next time.
Bred by Trelawney Stud and long-time partner John Struthers, Shanwah is by Too Darn Hot out of the Iffraaj mare Lady Sayyida and is a half-brother to Group Two winner Excelida. A granddaughter of the hugely talented Sayyida, it is also the family of Ocean Park, Grunt and Zayydani.
Shanwah has now won four of his eight starts with a further placing and has amassed A$558,975 to date.
