Shangri La Express Makes It Two from Two for Alabama Express

Mark Smith - Saturday October 21

In what has been a memorable week for Yulong Stud, Shangri La Express became the second winner from as many runners for the first season stallion Alabama Express when leading at every call in the James Squire Kirkham Plate (1000m) at Randwick.

Shangri La Express makes impressive debut (image Steve Hart)

Ridden by Regan Bayliss for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Shangri La Express was given a good rev-up early to take up the running. The solidly backed favourite showed no signs of weakening down the straight to defeat the Microphone debutant Miss Judas by two and a half lengths with a further two and a quarter length back to the Blue Point colt Blue Illusion in third in a first season stallion trifecta.

Shangri La Express is the second winner for Yulong Stud’s Group 1 MRC CF Orr Stakes winner Alabama Express after the Richard and Chantelle Jolly trained Karavas saluted on debut at Murray Bridge on October 7.

Yulong Stud celebrated stakes success with another first-season stallion, Pierata, when Coleman captured last Wednesday’s Listed MRC Debutant Stakes at Caulfield.

Shan

Advertisement
gri La Express was a $220,000 purchase for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Yulong draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He is the second foal and first runner for the winning Lonhro mare Sent From Above, a daughter of Gooree Stud’s Group III MRC Thoroughbred Club Stakes and Group III STC Birthday Card Stakes winner Gamble Me (Rock Of Gibraltar).

Yulong purchased Sent From Above for $125,000 from the Gooree Park Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.

Shangri La Express a $220,000 Magic Millions yearling

After foaling a Written Tycoon colt last spring, Sent from Above revisited Alabama Success.

Alabama Success came within inches of making it three from three when Accelar fell a nose short of leading all the way over 1000m at Eagle Farm.

Advertisment

Race Result - James Squire Kirkham Plate 1000m

Randwick Track: Good(4) Time: 0:58.26
1
Shangri La Express
- 2c Alabama Express (AUS) x Sent From Above (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Regan Bayliss 56.5
2
2.5
Miss Judas
- 2f Microphone (AUS) x Sistine Angel (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: J R Collett 54.5
3
4.7
Blue Illusion
- 2c Blue Point (IRE) x Alucinari (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Zac Lloyd 56.5
4
4.9
Lamentum
- 2c Deep Field (AUS) x Viviette (IRE) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Tyler Schiller 56.5
5
5.3
The Three Hundred
- 2c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Sassy 'n' Smart (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: B Prebble 56.5
6
6.1
Agenda Setter
- 2c I Am Invincible (AUS) x Secret Agenda (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
7
8.7
Shoutaboutit
- 2f Overshare (AUS) x Etoile Fille (NZ) (No Excuse Needed (GB))
Tnr: Ms K Buchanan Rdr: Reece Jones 54.5
More Reading...
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.
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.
First Australian Stakes Winner for Blue Point With Tough Juvenile
Blue Point had his long awaited first Australian stakes winner when tough two-year-old filly Icarian Dream overcame a slipped saddle to take the Group III Magic Millions B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Another Stakes Win For This Burly Enigma - Leave The Whip At Home
Enigmatic is a word often bandied about in racing but it certainly sits well upon the ample shoulders of Cannonball, a big odds winner of the Listed Magic Millions Falvelon at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Stakes Racing Catalogue Updates Last Week
A dozen stakes updates in the past week into catalogues for yearlings coming up.
Best On Breeding
Seventeen stakes’ races on Saturday, four in the nation’s capital on Sunday, four in Adelaide on Monday, and not forgetting the Group III Newcastle Stakes on Friday, should test the stamina of the most ardent fan.
First Stakes success for Savabeel's Gold Bullion
Four-year-old gelding Gold Bullion dug deep to stave off all challengers when leading throughout to land the Listed Seven Members Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Verdi's Gritty Goldman wins Pakenham Cup
One-time Melbourne Cup favourite Goldman has bounced back to winning form for the first time in more than 18-months when leading throughout to score in the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) on Saturday.
G2 Winner Brings Magic Update for Yarramalong Park
Stakes-placed at three of his past four starts, progressive American Pharoah (USA) gelding In Good Order broke through for his first Black Type win in the Group II WATC Van Heemst Stakes (2100m) at Ascot on Saturday bringing a massive pedigree update for his yearling half brother headed to Magic Millions for Yarramalong Park.
No Shock in Supernova
The good times keep on rolling for connections of winning machine Here To Shock(NZ) (Shocking) who plundered the inaugural A$1 million Supernova at Pakenham over his favoured 1400m distance for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes.