Shipshape, a well-bred daughter of Darci Brahma (out of Shipsterns, who is a half-sister to the champion Seachange), is a filly on a fast trajectory. She has been set for the 1100 metre Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes worth $50,000 at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Champion trainer Stephen McKee knows what he is looking for and has a big opinion of her. “She won a trial convincingly leading into her first race and was unlucky not to have won on debut in the Haunui Farm 2YO last month where she ran third. She was held up and just couldn’t get out when she wanted to in the straight. She probably would have won.”
She has drawn well with barrier 4 and Sam Spratt will be in the saddle. While it will be her first start left-handed she has worked well that way in training and Go Racing connections are unconcerned.
The team has a good track record with this race winning it three years ago with No More Tears. But Racing Manager Albert Bosma is hoping for good weather, “Ideally we would like a dead track and the weather forecast doesn’t show any rain which is encouraging.”
She will be spelled after this race and then set for the Group 1 One Thousand Guineas in November, which Hasahalo won this season for the Go Racing team.
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