Some days are diamonds as they say and a $10,000 horse having his 56th start for his first stakes win as the first metropolitan winner for his trainer had that diamond day at on New Year’s day.
Oxbridge, a nine year-old gelding by City Place out of Colleges (Elusive Quality) was having start 56 in the Listed Swan Draught-Summer Scorcher over 1000m at Ascot and after enjoying a good run behind the pace, maintained a determined finish to nail win number 13 and stakes win number one.
Originally having been trained by Steve Wolfe, he’d been given 30 starts, yielding four wins before being put through the Inglis Digital May (Late) Online Sale where Kelly Belfield paid $10,000.
Tran
sferred to Albany trainer Stephen Sheehy, he’s continued to build quite an impressive record, having a further 25 starts for eight wins before Wednesday’s race.
The record now stands at 13 wins, six seconds, and nine thirds from 56 starts with earnings of $273,808.
“He’s been a super horse for me,” said Sheehy.
“He’s more than a horse, he’s a mate.
“My father told me if they can run time and carry weight, take the best on son. Don’t worry about it.
“Last stat he ran 1.03 over 1100m in Albany with 60.5 and I just thought, well, 1000m is his go, lets go and have a go.”
Oxbridge is one of three horses Sheehy has in work and he was his first metropolitan winner, and first stakes winner.
Ridden by Holly Watson, he defeated favourite Bopping Blue (Magnus) by a neck with Norich (Demerit) third.
Bred by Western Australia’s Yarradale Stud, Oxbridge is the fourth foal and one of five winners from five to race for his dam Colleges.
She is out of a Sadler’s Wells sister to four stakes winners including three-time Group I winner and French Champion In The Wings, along with Morozov, Hunting Hawk and Hawker’s News.
Since foaling Oxbridge, Colleges went to Rommell six times which includes a now two-year-old filly sold for $90,000 to John Chalmer’s Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale in 2024, a yearling colt, and 2024 foal, however she was served by Playing God in 2024.
He is the second Australia stakes winner, and one of 14 in total for Storm Cat stallion City Place who died in 2018.
