Trainer tips Shalama to rise at Scone

SCONE-bound gelding Shalama is a nine-year-old veteran of more than 50 starts who finished tailed off at his last outing but an unusual incident at Gosford recently shows that there is still plenty of fight left in the old boy.

Stewards placed an official warning on the Jeff Englebrecht-trained Shalama after his October 4 placing at Gosford where patrol footage showed he savaged another runner inside the final 50m of the race.

“I was away that day for a bit of a break and I was watching the race on TV,” Englebrecht said.

“The announcer said it looked like Shalama just turned and savaged the other horse. I was thinking maybe the other horse had come out and ran into him or something but when you watch the headon, the other horse, Oscar’s Choice, he started it. He had a bite at Shalama and Shalama said, ‘well if you’re going to bite me, I’ll bite you back’.

“He is quiet as a mouse and is a lovely horse to do anything with, it’s just riding him on the track and in the races that’s the hardest part.”

Reason being is that Shalama has a very set pattern of racing and that is to get way back in his races, sometimes overrace, but most times only get going late.

Sometimes it works for him, other times it doesn’t.

The spacious Scone track with it’s long straight and the likelihood of a fast-run Stratum Star @ Widden Handicap (1100m) is an ideal scenario for the son of Bureaucracy.

“That’s his go,” Englebrecht said. “In an 1100m when they fly along a little bit and he can come home over the top of them.

“They have got to come back to him a bit as well but Scone will suit him.”