Progressive stayer lands the Shockletz

[Wandering Eyes]

Talented staying filly Shockletz rallied late to run-down Prochester in the Country Racing It’s Got It All Trophy (2000m) at Flemington as both connections of the Ciaron Maher-trained runner and favoutie backers alike gave a collective sigh of relief.

Pre-race jockey Harry Coffey suggested to the owners of the three-year-old daughter of Shocking that it would be an easy watch, but upon returning to scale the winning hoop was somewhat sheepish.

“It was far from an easy watch,” Coffey grinned.

“Before the race I told them don’t panic, I’ll handle it. It will be an easy watch. I don’t think it was as it took her the whole of the straight to get there.

“I was still confident during the run her turn of foot would win her the race, but when I looked up and saw Liam (Riordan) on Prochester that far in front. He’s a tough Kiwi stayer and he was going to take some catching. To her credit, although she peaked on her run, she got the job done,” he said.

“They are a great group of connections who are a lot of fun. They’ve had a lot of fun and she has a bright future as she still doesn’t know what she’s doing,” he said.

Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull admitted he had given up hope of winning when the Andrew Forsman-trained Prochester looked to have established an unassailable lead inside the furlong.

“We were watching in the trainers’ room and we were tools down. I didn’t think we would get there, and then the last 75m it changed dramatically,” he said.

“It was a really good staying effort. She had to make a long sustained run, she was in a nice spot then got shuffled back a pair or two further back than what we would have liked. To her credit, up in trip, big track, soft ground and she did it all.

“She’s lightly raced and is still furnishing and she’s still young. So it’s great for Eales racing, we can just keep stepping her up.

“It’s fantastic to get a Saturday win out of the way, and we can improve her profile over winter.”

Bred and raced by Eales Racing, Shockletz has now won three of her six starts with a further runner-up placing. She is a full sister to Group Three placed stayer Horrifying, who has won on seven occasions.

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