Shamal Wind has recorded four wins from four first-up starts and trainer Robert Smerdon is confident that she can maintain her unbeaten first-up record in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Shamal Wind will defend her unbeaten first-up record in the Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Shamal Wind made her racing debut with a dominant five lengths win in maiden at Ballarat in October of 2012 and has since gone on to record wins at the start of her each of her racing preparations, including an upset win in the Listed W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield in February.
The Dubawi mare won a jump out at Caulfield on July 22 in impressive fashion before she defeated Angelic Light and Star Rolling to win a barrier trial over 800 metres at Cranbourne on August 4 and Smerdon told Racing Ahead this morning that the five-year-old is in excellent condition ahead of the Carlyon Stakes this weekend.
“She is really good and she is ready to go,” Smerdon said.
“She had an 800 metre jump out at Caulfield some time ago and an 800 metre trial at Cranbourne a bit over two weeks ago.
“She is ready, she goes well fresh and I am happy with where she is at, at the moment.
“The thing with these older mares is where their enthusiasm levels are and she looks like she is up for it as much as she has been any other preparation.
“The initial first-up was in a maiden race and as you move up you face harder races first-up.
“She won a mares handicap race this time last year, but on the ratings she looks well treated in this race but it is a good line up.
“I think she is as good as she has been first-up and she is capable of producing what she has produced first-up in previous preparations.”
Shamal Wind will jump from barrier nine in the Carlyon Stakes on Saturday and is expected to be settled towards the tail of the field in the early stages of the race; with the likes of Kencella (barrier three) and Minaj (barrier five) set to insure that there is plenty of early speed in the 1000 metre sprint.
The potential broodmare has been purchased by Love Racing ahead of her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign and will be given another season of racing before she is retired at the end of the autumn next year.
