By Craig Kerry
Allan Kehoe remembers telling fellow Wyong trainer Damien Lane that an unraced gelding he had would win five races as a two-year-old.
At the time, Kehoe was thinking of the bush racing scene.
Adam Hyeronimus checks out the chasers aboard Shaggy during their win in the Pierro Plate at Randwick on February 15.Credit: Getty Images
Now, the once little-known trainer is confident his unbeaten rising star can strive for a fifth victory in the ultimate two-year-old race, the $5 million Golden Slipper, in three weeks.
Shaggy, named after his amorous ways as a colt, is quickly gaining cult status on the path to the Slipper and can cement his place near the top of markets with another win on Saturday in the group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
After front-running victories at Coffs Harbour and Sunshine Coast, the son of unheralded stallion Sandbar repeated the dose against well-bred rivals from major stables in the Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick two weeks ago.
The brilliant beginner, which was withdrawn from sales by breeders Kooringal Stud and raced in a lease deal with Kehoe, was on the second line of betting for the Slipper with Sportsbet at $11 and was $2.20 to win on Saturday.
Trainer Allan Kehoe (left).Credit: Getty Images
After drawing gate three in a field lacking early speed on paper, Shaggy is expected to lead and again prove hard to catch.
“If he puts them away this week and does it style again … he almost comes into favourite, going to four from four,” Kehoe said.
“I did tell Damien that this horse would win five two-year-old races before I raced him, but I did mean five races out in the bush. But he just keeps improving and raising the bar.
“I don’t know when it ends, but hopefully, he’s got a few more runs before it does.”
And Kehoe, who has 80 per cent of Shaggy in the lease, had no concerns about the step-up to the Slipper trip of 1200m on Saturday.
“I’ve always said he will run 1200, and he’ll probably run 1400. He’s just push-button,” he said.
“The ones that put pressure on him, he’s asleep while they are doing it, that’s why he kicks so hard and the ones that take him on die.
“It would be nice to see him actually get it soft for the first part, because his last two, they’ve hassled him, but he’s just been a bit too good for them.
“I’d love to see him get it soft for a couple of furlongs and see what he can do. He might really put them away.”
‘If he puts them away this week and does it style again … he almost comes into favourite’
Trainer Allan Kehoe on Shaggy’s Golden Slipper chances
Shaggy has been a revelation for Kehoe. The 41-year-old has focused on horses since he was 13 and runs a pre-training farm close to Wyong Racecourse.
While a nasty recent fall at track-work left Kehoe with a broken thumb, bruises and cuts, but his star hasn’t missed a beat.
“I barely work him. It’s all light work and sprinting, and the feed bin hasn’t changed,” he said.
“He’s starting to learn his trade. He’s getting around like a real dude these days. He just floats about happy. He goes into roll and has 20 rolls, which is a good sign … He just walks around like an old-timer.
“I’ve never had a horse like him, he’s one in a million probably for me, a little bloke on the sideline, but it’s been good fun so far.”
Adam Hyeronimus, who picked up the ride late on Shaggy last start, has the job again.
“It’s drawn three so it’s a perfect set-up,” Hyeronimus said.
“There doesn’t seem to be too much pressure, and he’ll be sharp out of the gates, which will be a big advantage. He’s just got to tick that 1200m box and he’s well on his way to the Slipper, and I can’t see why he won’t.”
Also on Saturday, Kehoe has Prince Of Sorts in the Provincial-Midway Championships qualifier at Newcastle.
“He’s going to be a really good horse,” Kehoe said.
“He only had three weeks off, so he’ll still run a strong 1400 first-up. It’s a bloody good race though. There’s two or three that go really good and he’s probably the best of the rest.
“Before Shaggy came along, I told people he’s the best horse I’ve had.”
