Shopaholic Bags Another One

7 February 2012

Shopaholic returned to racing in a blaze of glory on Saturday with a smart victory at Caulfield. Ridden by emerging apprentice Katelyn Mallyon for Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien, the WS-bred and owned filly came back from three month break to triumph over 1100 metres.

It was the Pins filly’s third victory from just eight starts and her second in Melbourne after initially breaking her maiden at Matamata before crossing the Tasman. With black-type placings last preparation in the Gucci and Twilight Glow Stakes, she looks an exciting prospect for the future.

The three-year-old is out of the farm’s Gr 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes winner Splashing Out (O’Reilly). Shopaholic’s brother was purchased by Hong Kong interests during the Premier Sale at Karaka last week for $160,000.

Her success followed that of another well-related WS-raced mare Sequin who had posted her third career win at Paeroa on Friday. The Pins mare has been lightly-raced and is considered to be future stakes material by her trainer Graham Richardson. Out of the Listed Rotorua Stakes winner Glitzy (O’Reilly), her sister went to the $100,000 bid of Warwick Farm-based trainer Bjorn Baker at Karaka.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

The two of you will be aware of my ongoing concern as to the future of our sport. You could argue I have a vested interest; well, I did have, but my interest now is to give the future generations the opportunity my generation had. Now I can tell you, hand on heart, there were many financial thin times. 1975 was my fledgling start with five mares on 130 acres that occasionally flooded with the well-bred, non-race-winning Super Gray.

12 August 2026

Classy Debut Victory For Major Beel’s Brother Savagram

From a pedigree known all too well by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, 3yo Savabeel colt Savagram (NZ) kicked off his race career in the best possible way, highlighting himself as a potential black-type performer.