Melbourne mare Shoals will head back to Sydney to chase another Group 1 win in the $500,000 Canterbury Leagues Club Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Shoals, above, will head to Sydney to run in the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Triple Group 1 winner Shoals was a dual acceptor for Saturday with Mornington trainer Anthony Freedman also leaving her in the final field for the Group 1 $1.25m Seppelt Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
Freedman eventually scratched Shoals from the Newmarket Handicap but will saddle up his other Group 1 winning stable star Santa Ana Lane in the sprint down the Flemington straight and try for a two state Group 1 haul by sending Shoals back to Sydney where she won one of her three Group 1 races with her victory in the $500,000 James Boag’s Premium Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival.
“Confirmation: Shoals will head to Sydney to run in Saturday’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes over 1300 metres. Tim Clark takes the mount. Her work on Tuesday morning was strong and she is in good order. We are looking forward to getting her back to the track,” Freedman Racing tweeted.
Shoals won all her Group 1s during her three year old season and as well as her victory in the Surround Stakes against the fillies, was able to beat the older mares in the $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival and in the $1m Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville during the 2018 Adelaide Autumn Carnival.
Shoals is having her first run back since failing in the 2018 $13 The Everest (1200m) when eleventh on a heavy Randwick track to Redzel and is taking on a strong line up of Group 1 performers in the Canterbury Stakes headed up by the multiple Group 1 winner Trapeze Artist as well as the James Cummings trained Kementari.
Regular rider Tim Clark takes the mount again Shoals who has drawn barrier five in the eight horse Canterbury Stakes field.
Trapeze Artist has been installed as the $2.80 favourite for the Canterbury Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au and is coming off a first up fourth to Alizee in the Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 2 while Shoals is on the fourth line of betting at $7.50.
