Fifth Time Lucky for Who Shot Thebarman

Mark Smith - Saturday April 14

Twelve months ago Who Shot Thebarman fell in the Sydney Cup and many thought they had seen the last of the honest stayer.

But that all seemed to be a distant memory as Blake Shinn brought the 9yo veteran down the centre of the track to nose out the brave Zacada in Saturday's $2 million Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) with Sir Charles Road was another length away third. (photos Steve Hart)

It was like turning the clock back a decade as the winner and runner-up were bred in New Zealand and the third placegetter was an Australian-bred trained in New Zealand.


The well supported Japanese visitor Pre Stwick was scratched on veterinary advice behind the barriers.

Making his fifth start in the race, Who Shot Thebarman gave champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller a third Group 1 win in successive races on Saturday after Winx won the Queen Elizabeth and Unforgotten the Australian Oaks.

It was the second Group 1 for the 2014 Auckland Cup winner whose long list of near misses include seconds in the Group 1 ATC BMW Stakes and two previous runnings of the Group 1 Sydney Cup as well as Group 1 thirds in the VRC Melbourne Cup, ATC Tancred Stakes and Chipping Norton Stakes.

Who Shot Thebarman advances his record to 11 wins, 7 seconds and 4 thirds from 51 starts with earnings of $4,543,946.

"He would be the most frustrating horse to train, not because of the horse but the seconds, the thirds, running in Melbourne Cups, Sydney Cups year in year out," Waller said.

"Every preparation he gives us something.

"He's nine years old and if Winx is not a pretty good advertisement on how to look after a horse I think Thebarman takes the cake.

"That is the best he's looked for a nine-year-old, he was a test as a younger horse and we haven't given up on him and looked after him.

"His run in the Tancred was unbelievable so we came here with a bit of confidence. You just need everything in your favour, it was the bob of the head and we thought we were beaten. Today was our day.

Waller said the son of Yamanin Vital would likely be given another shot at the Melbourne Cup.

"It was heartbreaking for the owners to be scratched on the eve of the Melbourne Cup last year with an elevated temperature, so I think they will leave no decision but for me to run him," Waller said.

"Hopefully the handicapper gives him some relief."


Shinn said it was a thrill to win on a special horse.

"What a thrilling finish, if there is ever a horse that deserves to win a Sydney Cup it's him, only narrowly beaten in two, nine-years-old and he's got a great group of owners that follow him around every year," Shinn said.

"This is for them, this is for the horse, credit to Chris Waller and his team getting him to back up every year.

"It means a lot to me to be able to do it for those guys, they've stuck solid with me the last couple of years riding him and it's a massive thrill to be able to get him over the line today."

Bred by White Robe Lodge's Brian and Lorraine Anderton, Who Shot Thebarman is a son of their overachieving Sir Tristram stallion Yamanin Vital who died in 2009.

Who Shot Thebarman is out of the unraced Carolingian mare Ears Carol whose second dam Auditive (Random Chance) is a daughter of the Listed winner Auditory (Noble Bijou) from the family of dual Group 1 winner Prized Gem the dam of Group 1 AJC Australian Derby winner and young sire Nom Du Jeu (Montjeu).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Better Than Ready's Port Lockroy Triumphs in G1 Railway Stakes
Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
Kiwi Bred Comeback King Globe wins Cranbourne Cup
The super-talented Globe put a troubled 14 months behind him with a powerful all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Yes Yes Yes Filly wins $100,000 Crystal Slipper
The $100,000 WATC Magic Millions Crystal Slipper (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday drew a competitive field of 13 and Yes Yes Yes filly Yes Queen produced a brilliant performance to score a dominant debut victory.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Another Feature Win for La Crique
La Crique sprouted wings in the Pukekohe straight on Saturday to come from a near-hopeless position and win the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in a photo finish.
Xtravagant Gelding Nadal Brilliant in Meteorite
Ciaron Maher has a stranglehold on pop-up and slot races and was back in the winner's circle again after the inaugural running of the $1,000,000 The Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
Sires With Winners - Friday November 22
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Gringotts Continues Kiwi Winning Run in $1million The Gong
Kiwi bred Gringotts continued his coming-of-age campaign with a powerhouse front-running performance under 60kg to win Saturday’s Group III A$1 million The Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
Wings Of Song Makes Stunning Return
A star of the carnivals in Tasmania and South Australia, Wings Of Song made a triumphant return from a 30-week break to capture Saturday’s Rosemont Stud Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne.
Barnstorming Win by Headwall in the Warra
The super-consistent Headwall reaped a just reward in the $300,000 Group III Snap Print Solutions Wollongong The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange.