Blake Shinn admits Malaguerra’s rating as one of Australia’s most promising sprinters will be given a serious examination in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick.
Malaguerra got the nod over English as Shinn’s All Aged ride despite the four-year-old having to take a quantum leap in class on Saturday.
Waiting to stop Malaguerra’s winning spree will be a pair of top-class three-year-olds.
They are the Caulfield Guineas winner Press Statement and English, who Shinn holds in the highest regard after riding her into the minor placing to Chautauqua in the TJ Smith Stakes.
Shinn is convinced they go into the race with the best form Australian racing can offer.
“Press Statement has formlines behind Winx and English has got formlines behind Chautauqua and they are arguably the two who will be the hardest to beat,” Shinn said.
“It’s going to be a difficult assignment but he’s there to run very well,” Shinn said.
Malaguerra is making an impressive run through the grades which started with two Flemington wins during last year’s Melbourne Cup carnival.
The sequence was extended at Flemington in March and continued when Shinn’s nerve – and the sprinter’s acceleration – saved the day in the Star Kingdom Stakes.
Malaguerra was tucked in behind the leader but it took most of the Rosehill straight for a run to come and the four-year-old scored a win that only enhanced his reputation.
“My heart was in my mouth the whole way but when he got out he put the race away very quickly,” Shinn said.
“He was always travelling like he was going to explode so all he needed was half an opening.”
Malaguerra has been made one of the early favourites to win the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in June and Shinn said his prospects for Queensland’s biggest sprint would become much clearer after Saturday.
“We’ll know a lot more but it’s exciting to be riding him because he is building up a great record,” he said.
In 16 starts Malaguerra has won nine times but the four-year-old has turned the corner for Lee and Anthony Freedman after being gelded at the end of his three-year-old term.
Press Statement has been saved for the All Aged after avoiding a Doncaster Mile clash with his famous stablemate Winx.
Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au
