Photo: Trish Dunell
Windsor Park Stud this week paraded their new stallion Sham Express just a week after he landed in Cambridge.
The showy four-year-old son of O'Reilly out of Volkrose who is by their former champion sire Volksraad(IRE), retired from racing after finishing fourth in the group one AJC All Aged Stakes at the end of April. He had previously won three races including the time honoured group one VRC Newmarket Handicap as a three-year-old, and this season as a four-year-old had only five starts all in group one company in which he finished no further back than fifth.
At his first start as a two-year-old he won a 1200 metre race at Flemington and broke 33 seconds for his last 600 metres, a talent he confirmed on numerous other occasions throughout his racing career when running outstanding sectionals. A similar attribute to Windsor Park's former champion stallion Thorn Park (AUS) who also regularly broke 33 seconds.
As well as that, like his father O'Reilly Sham Express was a group one winner at three against the older horses, and his deeds on the racetrack attracted the attention of the team at Windsor Park and they earmarked him as a potential stallion prospect.
"We think that the manner in which he could accelerate in elite company demonstrates the 'turn of foot' that we look for in a stallion," said Windsor Park's Nelson Schick, "and his ability to train on as a two, three and four-year old proved to us he possessed the mental qualities necessary to endure the stress of racing at the highest level.
"Once we saw what a lovely individual he was we knew he would foot the bill."
A bright bay with four white feet, Sham Express stands at 16.1 hands high, and has the look about him of his dam sire Volksraad, but with the length of body of O'Reilly. Through his dam he also carries Sir Tristram (IRE) blood through Grosvenor the sire of his grandam Rose World.
Sham Express is the second son of the champion stallion O'Reilly to stand at stud in New Zealand with Alamosa commencing stud duties in 20 10, he has already left a group one winner in Kirramosa who won the VRC Oaks.
O'Reilly has sired over 70 stakes winners including 16 group one winners, and is currently the leading sire in New Zealand and leads the global list as well in the Centaine Award and the Dewar Award (Australia and New Zealand).
Sham Express is fully syndicated with Windsor Park Stud holding over 30 of the 50 shares.
"He is the first stallion we have syndicated since Kaapstad and we are delighted with the response from some of New Zealand's high profile breeders, and like Kaapstad he is a member of the renowned number nine sire producing family," added Schick.
Sham Express will stand for $16,000, and joins Rip Van Winkle (IRE) Mastercraftsman (IRE), Pour Moi(IRE), Guillotine and Falkirk.
- Michelle Saba
The showy four-year-old son of O'Reilly out of Volkrose who is by their former champion sire Volksraad(IRE), retired from racing after finishing fourth in the group one AJC All Aged Stakes at the end of April. He had previously won three races including the time honoured group one VRC Newmarket Handicap as a three-year-old, and this season as a four-year-old had only five starts all in group one company in which he finished no further back than fifth.
At his first start as a two-year-old he won a 1200 metre race at Flemington and broke 33 seconds for his last 600 metres, a talent he confirmed on numerous other occasions throughout his racing career when running outstanding sectionals. A similar attribute to Windsor Park's former champion stallion Thorn Park (AUS) who also regularly broke 33 seconds.
As well as that, like his father O'Reilly Sham Express was a group one winner at three against the older horses, and his deeds on the racetrack attracted the attention of the team at Windsor Park and they earmarked him as a potential stallion prospect.
"We think that the manner in which he could accelerate in elite company demonstrates the 'turn of foot' that we look for in a stallion," said Windsor Park's Nelson Schick, "and his ability to train on as a two, three and four-year old proved to us he possessed the mental qualities necessary to endure the stress of racing at the highest level.
"Once we saw what a lovely individual he was we knew he would foot the bill."
A bright bay with four white feet, Sham Express stands at 16.1 hands high, and has the look about him of his dam sire Volksraad, but with the length of body of O'Reilly. Through his dam he also carries Sir Tristram (IRE) blood through Grosvenor the sire of his grandam Rose World.
Sham Express is the second son of the champion stallion O'Reilly to stand at stud in New Zealand with Alamosa commencing stud duties in 20 10, he has already left a group one winner in Kirramosa who won the VRC Oaks.
O'Reilly has sired over 70 stakes winners including 16 group one winners, and is currently the leading sire in New Zealand and leads the global list as well in the Centaine Award and the Dewar Award (Australia and New Zealand).
Sham Express is fully syndicated with Windsor Park Stud holding over 30 of the 50 shares.
"He is the first stallion we have syndicated since Kaapstad and we are delighted with the response from some of New Zealand's high profile breeders, and like Kaapstad he is a member of the renowned number nine sire producing family," added Schick.
Sham Express will stand for $16,000, and joins Rip Van Winkle (IRE) Mastercraftsman (IRE), Pour Moi(IRE), Guillotine and Falkirk.
- Michelle Saba
