Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have continued their outstanding start to the juvenile season, producing Shangri La Express for a debut win at Randwick to give them three of the first four two-year-old races of the term.
The stable started its run when Espionage led home a Breeders’ Plate trifecta before Sovereign Hill won a midweek race at Warwick Farm on October 11.
Their only miss was in the Gimcrack Stakes when Celestial Bling was denied by the Michael Freedman-trained Manaal in a photo finish.
Speaking from Caulfield, Waterhouse said the most pleasing part was the fact the Tulloch Lodge youngsters were showing depth across the board.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am with our two-year-olds,” Waterhouse said.
“The good thing is they are consistent right through the ranks, fillies and colts.”
Waterhouse described Shangri La Express as a natural juvenile and confirmed the plan was to push on to the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill next month.
“Shangri La Express is a very promising two-year-old, he’s got above average ability,” she said.
“Adrian will see how the colt pulls up after the race, we will have a look at him Sunday morning and then have a talk about it but there is every chance he will keep going to the Rosehill race.
“If you win the Golden Gift, then you are into the Golden Slipper so that is something Adrian and I are very mindful of.”
A $220,000 yearling purchase, Shangri La Express ($4.60) is by first season sire Alabama Express, who stands for $22,000 at Yulong Stud in Victoria.
He was partnered by Regan Bayliss, whose decision to take him to the front when he was caught wide early proved a winning one, the colt then dictating before extending his margin in the straight to score by 2-1/2 lengths over Miss Judas ($6.50) with Blue Illusion ($5.50) another two lengths away third.
Bayliss said the winner was “bombproof” and was open to further improvement.
“He’s not ‘squibby’, he has a lot of scope to him,” Bayliss said.
“He’s a big, rangy horse, it is all starting to click with him now and he will only keep getting better.
“His best work was probably his last furlong (200m) too.”
The winner’s stablemate The Three Hundred started an easing $3.60 favourite with bookie sites and never threatened, finishing fifth.