The Shamus Award filly Served Cold built on her debut fourth over 1300m at Sandown on August 28 to break her maiden impressively over 1700m at Geelong on Sunday.
Ridden by Blake Shinn for Danny O’Brien, Served Cold took the step up to 1700m in her stride, befitting a sister of the 2022 ATC Australian Oaks heroine El Patroness.
Caught three wide for the first half of the race before taking a position outside of the leader Relentless Ruby, Served Cold took the lead before the home turn. Left in front a long way out, She hit the line strongly to defeat the Impending gelding Gawnski by one and a half lengths, with the Lonhro filly Relentless Ruby a further three lengths back in third.
Like El Patroness, Served Cold is a homebred for Balmerino Racing Partnership, who races her in partnership with Brae Sokolski’s Yes Bloodstock and a host of others, including AFL stars Jarryd Roughead, Jack Gunston and Liam Shiels.
“She’s continued to mature and learn throughout the preparation, and she takes everything in her stride,” O’Brien Racing’s stable manager Jack Howard said.
“She still has a few rough edges that need smoothing out, but there is a nice motor that, if we can harness, then there will be fun for everyone.
“Her sister El Patroness is an Oaks winner, and she has a similar profile. There is the Oaks trial at Flemington, and dare we dream of getting her to the Thursday of Cup week (Victoria Oaks).
Blake Shinn has a lot of time for the daughter of Shamus Award.
“She has a lot of class, this girl,” Shinn enthused.
“She has a lot of stamina, and that is what we came here hoping to see.
“Danny is a magician at setting horses on the Oaks and Derby paths. He knows what it takes, and he has identified this one.
“She ticks a lot of boxes. She has the pedigree and the physique for a VRC Oaks. She could have gone another lap today.”
The colt was a $130,000 pinhook from the Widden Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Their dam is the talented O'Reilly mare Sure You Can.
Purchased by Danny O Brien for $100,000 at the 2012 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, Sure You Can is a sister to Group III Tasmanian Derby winner Betwixt, dam of Group 1 Queensland Oaks winner Provocative (Zabeel).
Sure You Can is also a half-sister to Group II ARC Avondale Guineas and Group II Auckland Guineas winner Surely Sacred, who placed in the 2019 ATC Australian Derby won by Angel Of Truth.
After foaling a Shamus Award colt, Sure You Can revisited the Rosemont Stud stallion last spring.
It’s been a productive weekend for Shamus Award, whose first crop son Irish Songs, turned back the clock to capture the Listed Eureka Stud Tattersall's Members Cup (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
With his third stakes success, the sprightly 8yo gelding is a win away from cracking $1million in earnings.
