First Group I winner for Shalaa

Tara Madgwick - Saturday September 11

Arrowfield Stud shuttler Shalaa (IRE) broke the ice with his first Group I winner overnight in Ireland where three year-old filly No Speak Alexander scored a surprise win in the Group I Matron Stakes (1m) at Leopardstown.

Trained by Jessica Harrington, No Speak Alexander won the Group III Athasi Stakes at her first run for 2021 and was then third in the Group I Irish One Thousand Guineas.

She disappointed at her next run in Group I company at Deauville, but bounced back here to score a neck win over four year-old Invincible spirit mare Pearls Galore with race favourite Mother Earth a luckless third.
 



“It was her day in the sun today," said a delighted Jessica Harrington.

"Everything was right and she really came on from the last day. She got no run in France at all– she got knocked over a furlong down.

"We trained her for this day and we rode her the same way as we did in the Guineas – up at the sharp end."

Her win in the Matron Stakes represented a win-and-you're-in to the Breeders' Cup in the US, but Harrington was non-committal about that possibility.

She added: "She's probably got a little bit stronger. She likes a bit of nice ground. This was the plan and we'll enjoy the day."



No Speak Alexander is the first winner for Rapacity Alexander, a stakes-winning full sister to Group I winning sprinter Peniaphobia.

She is the first Group I winner among three stakes-winners worldwide for Shalaa, who stands at Arrowfield Stud this spring at a fee of $44,000.



 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Catalogue Online for the Southern Hemisphere Session of the Tattersalls Online December Sale
The catalogue of initial entries for the Southern Hemisphere Session, an innovative collaboration between Tattersalls Online and Inglis Digital, has now been published on the Tattersalls Online website.
One to Watch – Moonee Valley
This promising three year-old Cosmic Force filly made it wo wins in as many starts at Moonee Valley on Friday night with a tenacious display.
$1.3million Snitzel Colt Ready to Fire on Debut for Te Akau
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are confident they have the young firepower to make an early impression in the first of the black type features at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
Top Sellers at Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale
The Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale had plenty of drama when the dam of Goliath, who runs in the Japan Cup on Sunday, was passed in at €5miliion, but there were other high profile sales including Fastnet Rock's Epsom Oaks winner Qualify.
Stakes Potential for Cambridge Stud Homebred Mare Frostfair
Luberon’s heroics in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm Counties Bowl (1100m) gave trainer Lance Noble reason to expect something special from her trackwork companion Frostfair in the very next race on the card at Pukekohe on Saturday, and so it proved.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Stakes-Winning Debut for $1.3million Snitzel Colt
Exciting Snitzel colt Return To Conquer headed into his raceday debut in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) with a big price tag, big reputation and big expectations, and the million-dollar colt produced a Pukekohe performance worthy of the hype.
Pencarrow Blueblood Filly Wins Again
Royally bred filly Sesimbra made it back to back victories to open her three-year-old campaign when she took out the opening event at Wanganui, the Wanganui Function Centre 3YO (1200m) in dramatic fashion.
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.