NO O’SHEA BUT STABLE HEADS TO COAST
JOHN O’Shea remains Godolphin trainer – for now at least – and the stable will have runners at the big Gold Coast meeting on Saturday.
Godolphin’s Doncaster Mile winner It’s Somewhat has been entered for the Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Coast alongside stablemates Tessera (Gold Coast Guineas), Regent (Ken Russell Memorial) and Federal (Prime Minister’s Cup).
Amid speculation that Godolphin and their trainer have parted ways, Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel said yesterday that O’Shea was still officially the stable trainer.
‘We have received no notification from Godolphin that there has been a change of trainer,’’ Van Gestel said.
“It is business as usual at the Godolphin stable as far as the stewards are concerned although we are aware that John O’Shea is on leave.
“Until such time that Godolphin informs stewards of a change, then the stewards are satisfied that John O’Shea is the stable trainer.’’ Godolphin has five runners across four races at today’s Kembla Grange meeting and another six starters at the Warwick Farm midweeks tomorrow and all listed as having O’Shea as trainer. O’Shea leads the provincial trainers premiership with 61 wins and has a 11-win buffer over nearest rival Chris Waller.
However, Waller is a runaway lead of the Sydney premiership with 122 wins to O’Shea’s 69 and the NSW premiership is also in Waller’s favour with 172 wins to O’Shea on 133.
The O’Shea stable also has 10 nominations for the Rosehill meeting on Saturday including Alegric, Allergic and Big Blue in the Listed $150,000 Lord Mayors Cup (2000m).