First Australian Stakes Winner for Ready's Image

Strapping filly Shazee Lee caused a $51  shock in Saturday's $200,000 Group III Blacktown Workers Club Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) to credit local trainer Scott Singleton biggest win of his career and former shuttler Ready's Image with his first Australian stakes winner.

Only once previously has Shazee Lee tackled stakes company, beating just one of the six starters home in the Group III Ming Dynasty Stakes at Randwick back in September last year.

Ridden by Jay Ford, Shazee Lee defeated the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Prompt Response (Beneteau) by a neck with the Jason Coyle-trained  Salsonic (Hinchinbrook) a further half-head back in third. (photo Steve Hart). 

Singleton said it was a great reward for his loyal owner Dr Max Kowalczuk who also bred the 3yo filly.

"I got my trainer's licence when I was 20 and he (Kowalczuk) has been with me all the way through," Singleton said.

"He's always had one of two with me and it's hard to find loyalty like that these days.

"It's special because I've been here my whole life.

"She just needs to be ridden one way – only get out with a furlong to go. She's only got a short sharp sprint so you can't expose her too soon.

"We knew she was going well. She couldn't have worked any better on Tuesday morning."

Shazee Lee is the fifth named foal of the  Danewin mare Shazee who died three days after foaling the Ready's Image filly.

Shazee had shown ability on the track, starting just three times and was twice placed on the Kensington track at Randwick.

She was a sister to the hard-knocking, stakes-placed, Mr Aristos who earned $380,100 from 12 wins and 17 placings from 58 starts and a half-sister to stakes-placed Arthur's Lass (Unduplicated), from the family of  Rubicall, Mingling Glances Dial Tones and Calm Abiding.

A Grade  II winning son of More Than Ready (USA), Ready's Image left 183  foals from his four seasons at stud (2009-12) in Australia.