Smart Winner for Royal Academy
4th July 2007
Exceptional broodmare Ivory Rose added another winner to her resume when her Royal Academy three year-old Shagerz (3g Royal Academy - Ivory Rose, by Gain Control) won on debut at Canterbury on Wednesday.Fourth in a barrier trial at Randwick on June 29, Shagerz was backed into favouritism and after settling back in the field produced a big finish out wide to grab a long head win in the 1200 metre maiden.
“He’s still got plenty to learn but he’s got a bright future,” said winning jockey Tim Clark.
“He had no right to win that today after he was slow away and the way the race panned out.”
Bred and retained to race by the Vardy family, Shagerz is prepared by astute Randwick conditioner Les Bridge, who snared Group Two victories with Shagerz’ older siblings Miss Zoe and Utzon.
“I told you he was something special didn’t I?” Bridge declared to Shagerz owners after the race.
”He’s a beautiful animal and hopefully he’ll go on with it. I’ll probably only give him one or two more this preparation but he goes good.”
By the little known Century stallion Gain Control, Ivory Rose has had eight foals to race for six winners with Utzon and Miss Zoe the star performers, along with stakes-placed Bosworth and Ivories a six-time metropolitan winner of $200,000 plus in prizemoney.
Shagerz is the 51st winner in Australia this season for Royal Academy who missed coming to Australia for two seasons in 2000 and 2001, so has no four and five year-olds running for him at present.
A perennial favourite with Australian breeders, he returns to Coolmore this spring having spent the Northern Hemisphere season at Ashford Stud in Kentucky and is tremendous value at $27,500.