The well-related Shanwah (NZ) (Too Darn Hot) fetched $750,000 in the Karaka sale ring two years ago, and he has lived up to that price tag with an increasingly impressive winning treble that culminated in Saturday’s A$300,000 Group Two Stow Storage Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield.
Shanwah is by boom sire Too Darn Hot and is closely related to the Group One winners and sires Ocean Park (NZ) and Grunt (NZ). He was offered by his co-breeders Trelawney Stud during Book 1 of Karaka 2023, where he was bought by Cameron Cooke Bloodstock. Shanwah’s seven-start career has produced three wins, a placing and A$258,975 in stakes.
Trainer Ciaron Maher has always seen Shanwah’s big-race potential, but had to be patient while his first four starts produced only a third, a fourth, a seventh and a fifth.
The turnaround began with a convincing maiden win over 1600 metres at Mornington on January 22, and Shanwah never looked back from there. He added another win in his next start at Caulfield on February 10, then returned there on Saturday and extended that winning sequence into stakes company.
Rider Blake Shinn had Shanwah in a comfortable position just behind the front-running Emphasize (NZ) (Embellish), then pushed the button in the straight. Shanwah showed a high-class turn of foot and sailed past Emphasize to take a clear lead. He kept up a strong gallop all the way to the line to win the Autumn Classic by a length and a half.
“He was always a lovely horse,” Maher said. “Kevin and Vikki (Payne, owners) stumped up a bit of money for him at Karaka.
“I tried to get him to get his mind on the job as a colt and that was proving a little bit difficult. When he was gelded, it all just clicked with him. He is a lovely type and is by the right stallion, and Kevin has got a knack of picking these horses. He is very progressive.
“He just wants to please you. He was happy to sit out there, and credit to Blake, he knew he wanted to be forward in the race. He was caught a little bit wide, but as soon as he dropped his hands he just relaxed, tucked the head in, and you know those horses are going to reach their full potential because they just want to please you.
“He couldn’t have been more impressive today, so maybe we’ll go on to an Alistair Clark (Group Two, 2040m) or something like that and then maybe up north.”
This article first featured on nzb.co.nz