A homebred for Coolmore by champion sire Snitzel, Shinzo picked the perfect race in which to break his maiden, coming with a late rush to win the Group III ATC Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday earning a start in next week’s $5million Golden Slipper.
Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by James McDonald, Shinzo settled back in the field from a wide draw and powered to the line to beat last start stakes-winner Maharba by more than a length at his third start.
Shinzo had finished third on debut in the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes and was then second in the Group II ATC Skyline Stakes. so has been working towards a win and goes into the Golden Slipper with prizemoney in excess of $270,000.
“He’s not the natural 2YO speedster hence the reason he got beaten last start. James had him in a perfect position but he just wasn’t comfortable there,” said Chris Waller.
“I was actually pleased when he drew a wide gate today and went back to last and did the first half of the race the right way, got into a beautiful rhythm and then loomed up effortlessly and it was good to see him fight the last bit.”
Waller feels Shinzo will handle the quick back up into the Slipper next week.
“He's the most chilled out horse you could imagine, he's got the physique to deal with it,” he added.
Shinzo is the 133rd stakes-winner for champion sire Snitzel and is a full brother to his Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Exhilarates.
He was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the second winner from dual Group I winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Samaready, who was also third in a Golden Slipper,. She was bought by Tom Magnier in 2020 for $1.8million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when she was carrying Shinzo in utero.
Samaready missed in two subsequent seasons and was sent back to Ireland last year.
