The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained mare led all the way from a wide
gate and forged clear to win with authority by a length and three-quarters.Winning rider Tim Clark said switching back to 1400m following her last-start fourth at Randwick over 1600 metres on October 6 was a key factor in her success.
"I made sure they were really chasing around the home bend to get me and she got through the line strongly," Clark said.
"Once she got a couple of cheap sectionals down the side it was always going to be hard to run her down."
Waterhouse said she plans to again step Shumookh up to 1600m to run in the Group I VRC Empire Rose Stakes on November 3.
"I just pray the boss (owner) allows us to run in the (Empire Rose) because I've always believed she can run a mile," she said.
A half-sister to the Group II-placed Shedad, Shumookh is the sixth winner from as many to race out of the top-class mare Shamekha, who was also trained by Waterhouse. She won eight races including the Group I AJC TJ Smith Stakes, Group I All Aged Stakes and Group I STC Coolmore Classic while accumulating prizemoney of $1.8 million.
Shumookh is one of 20 stakes-winners for Aquis Farm's five-time Group I winner Dream Ahead (USA) who is serving the current season at their Hunter Valley base at a fee of $16,500
Dream Ahead wasn't the only Aquis sire to taste success at Caulfield with Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) also in the frame with his Irish bred son Mask of Time (IRE) dead heating in the Group III MRC Coongy Stakes.
A Listed winner in France earlier in his career, Mask of Time is now with
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. He led all the way from gate for Kerrin McEvoy and refused to surrender, sharing the victory in the 2000 metre staying test with the Godolphin runner Best of Days (GB).
Mask of Time is one of 79 stakes-winners worldwide for Holy Roman Emperor, who stands at Aquis Queensland at a fee of $9,900.
