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.

Pure Alpha delivers again as Ardrossan continues to rise

Ardrossan gelding Pure Alpha led throughout to win by 1.29 lengths at Eagle Farm for owner Ozzie Kheir, taking his earnings past $300,000. The result caps a stellar run for sire Ardrossan, whose yearlings fetched up to $450,000 this year on strong Hong Kong form.

28 August 2026

The Corner with Garry Chittick

It is difficult to maintain momentum when sitting in judgment of racing’s governance. After all, I get no pleasure in searching for non-credible decisions, but one is perpetually bewildered by the rationale behind many of the positions that make little sense.