RECENT Champion Freshman Sire Congrats stands a tremendous chance of posting his first interstate double with two highly-regarded fillies stepping out on debut in Victoria and NSW respectively.
First to go is the Mick Price trained Shampers who was saved from her scheduled Flemington debut on New Year’s day to contest the Peter Horobin Saddlerly Maiden (1000m) at Cranboune this evening at 6.45 AEST.
The filly is the first foal of Gary Portelli’s Shamardal miss Offshore Sham who won the portentous Hawkesbury 2YO race on the annual standalone card.
Shampers is also from the same family as recent Group 1 VRC Emirates Stakes winner Hucklebuck as well as Mossman’s lightning fast sprinter Stirling Grove.
Another Congrats from this family will be sold by Vinery as Lot 351 on the second day of the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale.
Meanwhile in Sydney on Saturday, David Payne takes the wraps off the exquisitely-bred Queen’s Crown in the Tab Place Multi Plate (1100m) at Rosehill.
Queen’s Crown boasts the most trial form having finished third to Ottoman and Perignon in a Warwick Farm heat on December 9.
Ottoman came out and won so impressively soon after as to be installed as the 2015 Golden Slipper favourite while Perignon is now considered a leading chance in the upcoming Magic Millions 2YO Classic courtesy of her Canterbury win last Saturday.
Not only is Queen’s Crown by a proven Grade 1 sire and 2010 Leading USA First Season Sire, her fourth dam is Cotehele House, the dam of Commands and Danewin, and a daughter of the immortal Eight Carat.
Congrats is currently the sire of 219 winners at a strike-rate of 65.4 per cent with 17 stakeswinner and a further 31 stakes-placed.
