A Winter Carnival Group 1 bid for Shamurt rests in her performance in Saturday’s Listed $100,000 Bam Willie Wright Dalrello Stakes (1200m) at Doomben.
Trainer Tony Gollan and jockey Jim Byrne above, will team up with Shamurt in the Dalrello Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Shamurt is the winner of her only two starts and trainer Tony Gollan is hoping the Murtajill filly will keep on improving and be worthy of taking her place in the Group 1 $600,000 J.J. Atkins Plate (1600m) at Doomben on June 9.
Gollan is also eyeing off the Group 2 $250,000 Mitavite BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on May 26 for the filly.
Shamurt had drawn barrier five in the original draw but will now jump from four in the field that has been reduced to thirteen runners following the two early scratchings of Orcein (barrier 1) and Fish ’N’ Snitz (barrier 14).
Jim Byrne will continued his association with Shamurt who he steered to victory at her only two race appearances in a 1050m two year old Handicap at Doomben and in an 1100m two year old Handicap at Toowoomba on Weetwood Handicap Day.
Gollan is happy with the way Shamurt has come through her Toowoomba win and said the filly continues to work well on the tracks.
“She’s going well and had an easy week after winning at Toowoomba,” Gollan told Racing Queensland News.
“This is still only her first preparation but all going well she’ll head towards the Sires’ Produce and J J Atkins.
“I was very pleased with the way she worked on Tuesday morning.”
Shamurt has eased slightly in the betting at Ladbrokes.com.au but is still the favourite for the Dalrello Stakes at $2.90 on Friday afternoon just ahead of Mishani Hustler who has firmed in from $4 to be the second pick at $3.60.
Mishani Hustler, from Ben Currie‘s Toowoomba stables, also has first class form with three wins from four race starts and is coming off a last start win in a 1200m two year Handicap at the Sunshine Coast on Princess Stakes Race Day on April 14.
The Robert Heathcote trained Only Wanna Sing with the blinkers on is the only other runner under the $10 mark at $7.
