Tassie star shines at Shepparton

[Wandering Eyes]

An unofficial record-breaking trial will ensure Tasmanian superstar Wynburn Sheean creates huge interest when he makes his mainland debut in Monday night’s Group 2 Shepparton Cup heats (450m).

The winner of 18 of his 22 starts, highlighted by the Group 2 Launceston Cup and Group 3 Devonport Chase, Wynburn Sheean set tongues wagging with a sensational 24.763sec trial at Shepparton last Saturday.

His time eclipsed G1 Melbourne Cup hero Hard Style Rico’s track record 24.768sec established in last year’s Cup heats.

“We didn’t expect him to do that,” trainer Ben Englund admitted.

“I thought if he could run around the 25.10sec mark first look that would be a good run for him, but I didn’t expect him to go as good as he did.

“You’re talking about world-class dogs when you talk about track records in Victoria.

“He handled the trip to Melbourne really well. He’s had a few long car trips, but he’d never been on a boat and he came back and won at Devonport on Tuesday. We set ourselves up to look silly if he got beaten but he ran a PB again.”

Wynburn Sheehan will return across Bass Strait for Monday night’s Cup heats where he has drawn box three in the third heat, to jump at 8.26pm.

WATCH: WYNBURN SHEEAN runs a sensational 24.763sec, quicker than HARD STYLE RICO’S track record, in a trial over 450m at Shepparton on 6 March.

“I think he might be a bit better than we think he is,” Englund said.

“Hands down he’s the best dog I’ve had. He doesn’t seem to have too many chinks in his armour.

“The only time he’s missed a place was in the Hobart Thousand, when he’d only had a handful of starts.

“He’s going up a couple of levels coming over to Victoria, but he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do so far and it’s exciting.”

Englund and his father Tom understand what is required to compete in Victoria, having raced Wynburn Wizard (Launching Pad winner) and Wynburn Cutie (Sapphire Crown finalist), and he’s confident Wynburn Sheean has what it takes to measure up.

“I do think he will,” Englund offered bullishly.

“He’s the sort of dog with the toughness you need when the pressure comes on.

“He’s got a great will to win. Six or seven times I’ve thought he can’t win from there, but you blink your eye and he’s six in front. He’s just amazing.

“His best traits are probably his hardness and his second sections are really quite quick. He can ping the lids – he’s broken five seconds at Launceston on a couple of occasions – and when he does, he runs blistering times.

“Over here it hasn’t really mattered where he’s drawn – he’s won from everywhere – but he would probably need to draw inside against these dogs. You want them going around you, not you going around them.

“If he gets beaten on Monday night we won’t stop. We’ll be back!”

Wynburn Dancer, the winner of 13 from 22 starts, also trialled impressively at Shepparton last weekend, clocking a slick 25.10sec, however she won’t be returning for the Cup heats.

“She didn’t handle the travel to be honest,” Englund explained.

“Her last couple of starts down here she was only a couple of lengths off the Hobart and Devonport records and she’s not far behind Wynburn Sheean.”

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