Supporters of the Chris Waller-trained Shillelagh closed their eyes and said a few Hail Marys as James McDonald navigated a perilous path between runners to power home in Saturday's $500,000 Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
The 7yo daughter of Savabeel never blinked, slicing between runners to defeat Bring Me Roses (High Chaparral) by one and a quarter lengths with the 3yo filly Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt) a half-head back in third. (photos Grant Courtney).
It's been 10 starts since Shillelagh's last win which came on this day 12 months ago in the Group 1 Cantala Stakes (Kennedy Mile).
The winner of five of her 11 starts when trained in New Zealand by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Shillelagh advances her record to 8 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 29 starts with earnings of $1,352,746.
"I'll take a little bit of credit for that one," McDonald said.
It's great how it all worked out, she travelled so beautifully.
"I had to get a little bit of luck throughout the run and she got that. She burst through, and I was on the right horse that was trained to perfection.
"Kiwi trainer, Kiwi jockey and Kiwi owners what can be better than that?"
It was the second win in the race for Waller after Red Tracer in 2013.
"That's racing, it can deliver you some highs and lows," Waller said.
"I've been the biggest sook of all today running a couple of seconds. I thought it was the end of the world on the back of last week, and then thirty minutes later you're winning a Group 1 race.
"The last week has been amazing. You're walking around on cloud nine trying to stay focused on such a big race day like Derby day but what a great sport to be involved with."
Unraced at two and making just one start at three, Shillelagh has been a late bloomer, which is not surprising as she is a sister to the Group II Brisbane Cup winner Tullamore who ran third in behind Southern Speed and Green Moon in the 2011 Group 1 Caulfield Cup and at his following start beat all bar the outstanding Americain in the Group II MVRC Drake International Cup.
Tullamore is the first foal and Shillelagh the fifth foal of the Flying Spur mare Trocair.
Twelve months after foaling Shillelagh, Trocair produced her third stakes winner by Savabeel a filly named Grazia who was a $100,000 purchase for David Ellis at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Little Avondale Stud.
A week before Shillelagh's win in the Cantala Stakes, Grazia opened her own stakes account in the Listed Spring Classic at Riccarton.
Trocair has been a regular visitor to Savabeel however in 2016 she foaled a colt by Ocean Park that has been catalogued for the NZB Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs on November 21 and 22.
From a strong stakes-winning family, particularly in Canada, Trocair is a half-sister to the Pins filly Nautique who won a pair of Grade III stakes races in the United States.
Trocair missed to Savabeel in 2016 but was covered by Waikato Stud's champion again last spring.
