AS well as confirming a start in Saturday’s Australian cup, Danny O’Brien said he’s already eyeing a second Cox Plate victory with Shamus Award. O’Brien told TVN’s Racing Review today that winning a second Cox Plate is the long term aim given the colt will race into his four-year-old season.
“The Cox Plate is definitely on the cards. The horse has the opportunity to become a two-time Cox Plate winner,” O’Brien said.
“That is very rarely done. Obviously, you are talking So You Thinks and Sunlines and Northerlys.
“We have that opportunity and we will be giving him every chance to do that.”
O’Brien said Shamus Award had taken no harm from his latest Group 1 success in yesterday’s Australian Guinea.
“By the time I got to the stables last night he had eaten his feed and he was very bright this morning,” O’Brien said.
“He’ll have a seven day back-up into the Australian Cup.”
O’Brien said Shamus Award had nothing to fear from challenging short-priced favorite Fiorente as well as the other older horses he would meet in the Australian Cup.
He recalled when Fiorente ranged up alongside Shamus Award at the 800 metres in the Cox Plate he appeared to be travelling well.
“Blake (Shinn) looked like he had plenty of horse on Fiorente and he was pretty confident, but coming around the corner Chad (Schofield) zipped away.
“We are up 1-0, it will be good to see how they go in the re-match.”
O’Brien said the $500,000 Rosehill Guineas (2000 m) on March 29 and the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000 m) on April 19 could be targets for Shamus Award during the Sydney carnival.
Northerly is the last horse to complete the Cox Plate/Australian Cup double in the same season.