Shoals remains unbeaten in Atlantic Jewel Stakes

Darryl Sherer - Saturday September 9

Shoals maintained her perfect record with the minimum of fuss in Saturday's Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

Shoals remained unbeaten in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes. Photo: Darryl Sherer

Settled in second place on the quarters of Blondie ($11 - $16) to the home turn, Shoals ($2.90 - $4.80) gradually asserted her superiority in the home straight to score by three-quarters of a length.

The Anthony Freedman-trained filly has won all four of her starts and Freedman said Mark Zahra had been planning to ride Shoals quieter.

"We'd been intending to be a bit quieter than that but she flew the gates and these good jockeys can adjust," Freedman said.

"Her record says she's a good filly - she's never really impressive but she gets the job done."

Shoals was first-up since winning the Group II Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick in April and Freedman said he will attempt to extend the daughter of Fastnet Rock.

"We need to find out now is she can stretch out in distance," Freedman said. "If she can get a mile then a race like the Thousand Guineas is the obvious race for her.

"She's got the temperament to do it, it's more a question of whether she can stay.

"She's high quality and I'd like to think there's more improvement in her - she hadn't done that much coming here."

She's So High ($12 - $8.50) came from well back around the home turn to finish third, beaten 1 1/4-lengths.

Advertisment
More Reading...
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.