Those who had a flutter in the 2009 Melbourne Cup might be tempted to back Shockletz in this year’s running, given her striking similarities to the 2009 winner, Shocking.
The Ciaron Maher-trained mare, a daughter of Shocking, races in the familiar Eales Racing colours.
Further parallels exist, with the five-year-old set to carry the identical weight – 51kg – that Shocking bore to victory. She is also coming off a win in the same lead-up race that Shocking claimed before his Cup triumph.
The iconic Melbourne Cup has long been the ultimate goal for Laurence Eales, who also owns Shockletz’s dam, Zelt. “It was always on our radar if we could get her in,” Maher stated.
“She’s a horse we’ve been very, very patient with, and so has Laurence Eales, and she’s just developed and strengthened.”
“I can only imagine how Laurence and his team of owners are feeling, winning it with the sire and then breeding one. They would be beside themselves just to be in the race and I think she’s got an extremely good chance.”
Should Shockletz emerge victorious in Tuesday’s $10 million event at Flemington, she will etch her sire onto an exclusive roster of Melbourne Cup winners who have produced offspring to claim the same coveted prize.
The last sire to achieve this feat was Black Knight, son of Silver Knight, in 1984. Prior to that, Grand Flaneur, Malua, and Comedy King are the only other Melbourne Cup winners whose progeny have also triumphed in the great race.
Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup will mark Shockletz’s 21st career start. She commenced her racing journey with a second-place finish in a modest 1400m maiden at Ballarat in September 2024.
Her subsequent start saw her secure a victory in a 1500m fillies and mares maiden at Bendigo at prohibitive odds of $1.45. However, she found the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) a challenge too great.
Adjusting expectations last year, Maher guided Shockletz through the grades. Nine starts in either three-year-old or benchmark company yielded five wins, fostering the team’s belief that their Melbourne Cup aspirations for her were attainable.
The groundwork for her Cup campaign was established with three runs between May 2 and June 6, before the formal build-up to the first Tuesday in November commenced on the opening day of the racing season.
Following a sixth-place finish over 1620m at Flemington on August 1, she secured fourth in a notably quick 2000m handicap at Caulfield four weeks later. This was followed by a commanding victory in the race now known as The Archer, which grants a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption.
In 2009, this 2500m Group 3 event was recognised as The Lexus Stakes and was contested on Derby Day, yet it still offered the same golden ticket to the Melbourne Cup, which Shocking seized.
Maher has since been able to dedicate his focus to the Melbourne Cup campaign. Shockletz subsequently finished sixth in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m), followed by a narrow second in the Group 3 Tesio Stakes (2040m) carrying 58kg at Flemington on Cox Plate Day.
The accomplished trainer expressed his complete satisfaction with Shockletz’s preparation, drawing parallels to High Emocean, who finished third in the 2022 Melbourne Cup, a race Maher won with Gold Trip.
“The old saying is you’ve got to beat the handicapper, well, she gets in with no weight and she flew here last Saturday,” Maher remarked.
“She reminds me of a horse that we had that ran very well called High Emocean. She ran third, had no weight, snuck into the field, and she just gives me that feel. She might even be a little bit better than her and with no weight they can go to a new level.”
The sole remaining uncertainty is the rider from barrier 17, as Harry Coffey, who has partnered Shockletz in all three of her starts this season, sustained a collarbone injury in a Derby Day fall and his availability is uncertain.
Consider placing a bet on Shockletz with Australian betting sites for the Melbourne Cup.