The owners of Melbourne-trained Shamexpress will be hoping history repeats itself after gambling $50,000 to bring the three-year-old interstate for Sydney’s $1 million Golden Rose.
Connections of the Danny O’Brien-trained colt have forked out the late-entry fee for Sydney’s richest spring race, mimicking last year’s winner Manawanui.
Manawanui also cost his connections $50,000 upfront as a late entry to the 2011 six-horse race before he outlasted Smart Missile in a thrilling finish.
In Saturday’s Group One at Rosehill, Shamexpress needs to at least finish fourth to win $50,000 prize money and recoup his owners’ outlay.
Part-owner Andrew Smith knows it’s a gamble.
“He’s a funny sort of horse, we’ll just have to see which horse turns up on Saturday,” Smith told AAP following Tuesday’s barrier draw.
Smith drew barrier seven in the 10-horse field for Shamexpress, not the first choice for the owners of the $13 chance.
But Smith says starting alongside $2.20 race favourite Nechita could be a blessing in disguise.
“Ideally I would have liked something a little further in,” he said.
“But it could be worse.
“We’re just outside (Kabayan), we might get some good early speed and just follow him across.”
Shamexpress has raced four times and in his most recent showing in the Group Three McNeil Stakes at Caulfield, he ran third behind Lady of Harrods and Golden Rose 2012 second favourite Kabayan.
“In his first three starts he’s led or been close to the lead,” Smith said.
“In the McNeil we tried to settle him further back in the field.
“He was a little bit unruly.”
But with $1 million in prize money on offer, and a good fit with the colt’s program, it was enough for connections to give the Melbourne horse a shot at the big-time.
“Obviously the prize money’s very attractive,” Smith said.
On Saturday Smith will keep his eyes closely on the Gai Waterhouse-trained Kabayan ($4.20), Peter Snowden’s duo of Epaulette ($13) and Albrecht ($9) as well as Nechita.
“We’ll just see how we go, see how he jumps and (jockey) Corey (Brown) can make a call as he rides,” he said.
The winner of the three-year-old race will take home $600,000 with second raking in $200,000 and third $100,000.