Bargain Basement Yearling Love Shuck Captures Valuable Inglis 2yo Challenge

Mark Smith - Friday May 12

A $6,000 yearling purchase, the 2yo Mikki Isle (JPN) gelding Love Shuck provided Canberra-based trainer Todd Smart a career highlight in the $200,000 Inglis 2yo Challenge (1100m) at Scone on Friday, but he was made to sweat for it.

Ridden by Aaron Bullock, Love Shuck held the fast-finishing Chevron but rolled back to the fence in the closing stages, hampering the third-placed Lulumon.   

Kathy O’Hara fired in a protest, which was quickly dismissed.

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Love Shuck defeated the Spieth colt Chevron by a half-head,

 with the Vancouver filly Lulumon a neck back in third.

A debut winner over 1000m at Albury in February, Love Shuck finished eighth of 11 in the Group III Black Opal Stakes at Canberra on March 12.

“It’s definitely my biggest win. This was a $6,000 purchase,” Smart affirmed.  

“Pete Twomey (Wattle Bloodstock) is our bloodstock agent, and I’m delighted he found this horse for us, and all my mates from Gundagai are in it.

“We had our eye on this race from the day we bought him. He showed a bit early, so this was always the target.

“I’m so happy I have tears of joy.”.

Love Shuck a $6,000 Inglis HTBA May yearling

Consigned by his breeder Bowness Stud to the 2022 Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale, Love Shuck was a $6,000 purchase for Wattle Bloodstock (FBAA) / Todd Smart Racing.

The timing could not be better as Bowness consigns a Bon Hoffa half-brother to Love Shuck to the Inglis Gold Yearling Sale at Oaklands on Sunday. (Lot 123)

Love Shuck is the first winner from three to race for the Magic Albert mare Oyster Bell, a half-sister to Group III Rough Habit Plate and Group III Doomben Classic winner Belmonte (Singspiel).

A dual Group 1 winning miler by Deep Impact (JPN), Mikki Isle (JPN) shuttled to Arrowfield Stud for three seasons, the last in 2019. 

Mikki Isle (image Mark Smith)

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Race Result - Inglis 2yo Challenge 1100m

Scone Track: Good(4) Time: 1:03.42
1
Love Shuck
- 2g Mikki Isle (JPN) x Oyster Bell (AUS) (Magic Albert (AUS))
Tnr: Todd Smart Rdr: A Bullock 57
2
0.1
Chevron
- 2c Spieth (NZ) x Great Gal (AUS) (All American (AUS))
Tnr: Ms K Buchanan Rdr: C Schofield 56.5
3
0.4
Lulumon
- 2f Vancouver (AUS) x For Lulu (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: J C Coyle Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 54.5
4
2.9
Cosy Corner
- 2f Cable Bay (IRE) x Coachella (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: P M Perry Rdr: J Penza 54.5
5
3.7
Bomarea
- 2f Dissident (AUS) x Sound Advice (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: M P Quinn Rdr: Jenny Duggan 54.5
6
4.3
Snippety Star
- 2f Sooboog (AUS) x Hot Snippety (AUS) (Snippetson (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Tim Clark 54.5
7
4.7
Smart Recognition
- 2g Smart Missile (AUS) x Admission (AUS) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: Chris Anderson Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 56.5
8
5.0
Hot Jive
- 2f Star Witness (AUS) x Kissame Mucho (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: T P Croft Rdr: J Ford 54.5
9
5.7
Midnight Affair
- 2f Epaulette (AUS) x Dark Love (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: David Pfieffer Rdr: J R Collett 54.5
10
5.9
Yukan Rose
- 2f Brave Smash (JPN) x Rosie Quadrille (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: David Pfieffer Rdr: B Prebble 55
11
6.0
It's Showtime
- 2g Showtime (AUS) x Offden (AUS) (Denman (AUS))
Tnr: R P Northam Rdr: Reece Jones 56.5
12
7.3
Capicella
- 2f Capitalist (AUS) x Botricello (AUS) (Medaglia D'Oro (USA))
Tnr: Lauri Parker Rdr: Ellen Hennessy 54.5
13
7.5
Mr Trackside
- 2c Super One (AUS) x Lonhrolite (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: P M Perry Rdr: Ms M Weir 56.5
14
7.6
Our Little Star
- 2f Shooting To Win (AUS) x Our Lonnie (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: David Pfieffer Rdr: Rachel King 54.5
15
15.2
Smart Resolution
- 2f Smart Missile (AUS) x Let Me Sleep On It (AUS) (Manhattan Rain (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: Jean Van Overmeire 54.5
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