Shamus Award's Irish Songs Breaks the Drought in National Sprint

Mark Smith - Sunday March 13

The well-travelled Irish Songs came with a weaving run under Tommy Berry to earn a maiden stakes success in Sunday's Listed Sears Workwear National Sprint (1400m) and break a 97-week drought.

A last-start second at Flemington, the Kurt Goldman-trained son of Shamus Award overpowered the Magnus gelding Ashman by a half-length with the Zariz gelding Mad As Zariz a further long-neck back in third.

With his first stakes success, Irish Songs advanced his record to six wins, two seconds, and nine thirds from 44 starts with earnings of $552,280.

Goldman paid tribute to Irish Songs part-owner Alan Cardy, the former Wallaby great, who died in December.

"I trained my first stakes-winner here for Alan in the Canberra Cup when I started even years ago, Goldman said.

"So, it is fitting to come here to train what is possibly the last stakes-winner for him.

"He was a great mentor, a friend and a father figure, and he would have loved this.

"Both Irish Songs and I like a trip away. I was pretty confident coming here today. He bounced off that run at Flemington, and that form has stacked up.

"I thought it was the right form, and it was a masterful ride by Tommy."

Shamus Award

Goldman shelled out $140,000 for Irish Songs from the Attunga Stud draft at the 2017 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.

He is the first foal and only runner to date out of the talented Johar (USA) mare Lucky Songs.

A half-sister to Group II Wakefield Challenge Stakes winner and Group 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes runner-up Captain Fantastic (Fantastic Light), Lucky Songs was an 8-time winner for John Morrissey in Queensland.

Lucky Songs has a 2yo filly by Oratorio (AUS) and a weanling colt by Universal Ruler.

Irish Songs is the 18th black-type winner for Rosemont Stud's Shamus Award, whose daughter Duais captured the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington on Saturday..

Advertisment

Race Result - Seears W'wear National Sprint LR 1400m

Canberra Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:22.48
1
Irish Songs
- 6g Shamus Award (AUS) x Lucky Songs (NZ) (Johar (USA))
Tnr: Kurt Goldman Rdr: Tommy Berry 54.5
2
0.5
Ashman
- 6g Magnus (AUS) x Ashamika (FR) (Linamix (FR))
Tnr: Ms K Waugh Rdr: J Ford 54.5
Magnus
3
0.9
Mad As Zariz
- 7g Zariz (AUS) x Golden Freeze (AUS) (Nuclear Freeze (USA))
Tnr: R Weston & J Nisbet Rdr: Ms K Nisbet 54.5
4
1.0
Marnix
- 4g Written Tycoon (AUS) x Dutch Romance (GB) (Dutch Art (GB))
Tnr: Richard Litt Rdr: Rachel King 54.5
5
1.5
From The Bush
- 5g Poet's Voice (GB) x Endaxi (AUS) (Authorized (IRE))
Tnr: Ms G Williams Rdr: G Buckley 54.5
6
1.7
Jailbreak
- 5g Rubick (AUS) x Our Songbird (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Ms G Williams Rdr: Tim Clark 54.5
7
2.0
Chat
- 5g Deep Field (AUS) x Only Words (AUS) (End Sweep (USA))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: Brock Ryan 58
8
3.3
Onsettling Down
- 6g Delago Deluxe (AUS) x Kariz (AUS) (Zariz (AUS))
Tnr: M Petrovic Rdr: Ms W Costin 54.5
9
3.6
Meg
- 4m Sebring (AUS) x Martilago (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Dale Rdr: Amy Mc Lucas 54.5
10
3.8
Aim
- 4g Star Witness (AUS) x Vintage Strike (USA) (Smart Strike (CAN))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: S Clipperton 55.5
11
4.6
Beachbreak
- 5m Sebring (AUS) x Oakleigh Girl (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: W Pike 54.5
11
4.6
Up Trumpz
- 7g Zariz (AUS) x Gee Trump (AUS) (Last Tycoon (IRE))
Tnr: J M Cleary Rdr: A B Collett 54.5
13
12.2
Dream Runner
- 5g Wilful Default (AUS) x Sweet Submission (AUS) (Mr. Henrysee (USA))
Tnr: K R Dryden Rdr: A Layt 54.5
More Reading...
Is He the Next Via Sistina or Buckaroo?
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo cross is a formidable one and has produced this spring’s elite Group I winners Via Sistina (IRE) and Buckaroo (GB) with another lightly raced import bred the same way in Gilded Water (GB) going two for two in Australia with a cavalier win at Randwick on Saturday.
Arriving Home Goes Two for Two – Three-Quarter Brother for MM 2025
Talented I Am Invincible filly Arriving Home does her best work on the line and we saw it when she scored on debut at Warwick Farm earlier this month and again when she got there in the last stride to win at Randwick on Saturday.
2024 Favourite Foal Winner
Firstly we’d like to thank everyone for taking an interest in our foal gallery and supporting their favourites, but there was always a sentimental top pick for many and the most famous foal in the country has now won his first race!
Brave Smash Winning Double Hong Kong
The Sha Tin meeting on Sunday produced some great  results for the Yarraman sires with Brave Smash (Jpn) posting a winning double and Hellbent siring a promising new three year-old winner.
Stakes Racing Catalogue Updates Last Week
A dozen stakes updates in the past week into catalogues for yearlings coming up.
Irish Songs Scores a Hometown Triumph in Glasshouse
The rising 8yo gelding Irish Songs earned a second stakes success fourteen months after his first to claim the Listed Glasshouse Hcp (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast.
Little Brose to Stand at Little Avondale
Arguably there is no better stallion making race in Australasia than Victoria's only Gr.1 event for two-year-olds, the Blue Diamond Stakes, and when you add the hottest bloodline in the Southern Hemisphere to the mix, you have an exciting stallion prospect. 
Hong Kong Summed Up - Dec 22 - Brave Smash Winning Double
A double for Brave Smash, including a new winner, also new winners for Hellbent and Kermadec, and three yearling catalogue updates amongst seven Australasian bred winners at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Zoustar Mare Wins for Te Akau - Half-Brother for K1
Consistent sprinting mare Egyptian Queen was rewarded for a string of solid performances at Te Rapa on Saturday, powering away with the Lodge Real Estate 1200.
Four MM Lead Ups for Icarian Dream - what are the stats?
Two-year-old filly Icarian Dream’s win in the B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday will see her head into the Magic Millions 2YO Classic having had four starts before year’s end, which might seem a lot in this day and age – but is it? We’ve had a look.