Victorian filly Shoals claimed her second Group 1 prize as she bounced back to form to win the Group 1 $500,000 James Boag’s Premium Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick today.
Shoals, above, bounces back to form to win the Surround Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Shoals beat the older mares during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival in winning the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington but returned in the Autumn with a disappointing first up eighth in the Group 3 $150,000 Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 10.
Trainer Anthony Freedman then decided to send the Fastnet Rock filly north and she responded with a return to form with a half a length win over Torvill ($18) who was just in front of Rimraam ($26).
Stable representative Sam Freedman said that Shoals would now be aimed towards the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 17.
“We probably got it wrong first up,” Freedman said.
“She did very well in the paddock and she was probably a little bit fat. That’s all we can put it down to.”
“She is a quality filly, she is very well bred.”
“We opted to come up here and she has done the job.”
“(The Coolmore Clasisc) has always been the target. She has done a fantastic job today and the Coolmore looks like it is there for her.”
The James Cummings trained Alizee was sent out as the $2.70 favourite and after settling near the tail of the field had a wall of horses in front of her on the home turn.
Glyn Schofield finally found the way through but Alizee couldn’t match it with the placegetters and wound up in sixth position.
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