It remains to be determined if Shangri La Impact will ever return to Stakes grade, but trainer Tom Charlton is optimistic he has identified a suitable race for her to continue her development at Randwick this Saturday.
The Staphanos filly is set to compete in the $160,000 B&J Guttering & Metal Roofing BM72 Handicap over 1800 metres.
This fillies and mares event marks her first start against her own sex since last year’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks, and Charlton expressed his satisfaction with the mare’s setup.
“It’s the perfect race for her really; fillies and mares, a nice distance for her on home track, so I think it looks a nice option,” Charlton said.
This will be Shangri La Impact’s fifth outing for Charlton, having previously been under the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Waterhouse and Bott aimed her at the Queensland Oaks following successive victories in May of the previous year, but she finished behind only one other horse in that 2200m contest.
Shangri La Impact debuted successfully for Charlton, winning a BM64 event at Kembla Grange on March 3, then secured a third place at Newcastle, and followed up with another win over 1800m in BM72 grade at the Randwick Kensington meeting on April 27.
She made a return to Saturday racing at Rosehill on May 30 but faded in the closing stages to finish sixth, trailing by 6-1/4 lengths, after expending too much energy early on.
Nash Rawiller will take the reins for Saturday’s race, replacing Dylan Gibbons. Shangri La Impact is drawn barrier two, and Charlton is hoping for a more measured run.
“She doesn’t have to lead but she naturally has herself in a forward position,” he said.
“Last time we just went a bit too quick, we had a bit of pressure on our outside and you could see the race how it developed that it suited the backmarkers.”
“So I think there was a genuine excuse and I think also getting back on a sounder surface might be more beneficial as well.”
Shangri La Impact is currently considered the second favourite by leading Aussie betting sites for Saturday’s race, with Chris Waller’s sparingly raced British mare Nasebah the current market leader.
For those looking to place a bet on the race, exploring the latest racing odds at Australian betting sites could offer valuable insights.