Ipswich mud not a worry for Shiraz
A RAIN-affected track at Ipswich holds no concerns for trainer Kim Waugh when quality sprinter Shiraz makes his Queensland debut in the Eye Liner Stakes tomorrow.
The Group 1 placegetter adds class to the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) which has overtaken the Cup as the main race on Ipswich’s only Saturday metropolitan meeting of the year.
Rain has drenched the area this week with the track rated a heavy 8 yesterday.
Shiraz has won both his starts on heavy tracks – both at Rosehill – and is a dual winner on soft going.
“On his record a wet track should be no worry,” Waugh said.
The Wyong-based trainer has been a regular visitor to Queensland but Shiraz will be her first Ipswich runner.
“I have had a good bit of luck up north and my best win was with Mahtoum in the (2006) P.J. O’Shea Stakes at Eagle Farm,” Waugh said.
Now a seven-year-old, Shiraz did his early racing in country NSW for trainer Peter Nestor and won at tracks such as Wellington, Dubbo and Scone.
He was later taken over by Tony McEvoy who steered him to stakes class in mid-2015 when he won the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Stakes at Flemington and the Group 3 Concorde Stakes at Randwick.
He was also third in The Shorts behind Group 1 star Rebel Dane.
Shiraz returned in the autumn of 2016 to run second behind Griante in the Group 1 The Galaxy at Rosehill.
When McEvoy closed his Hawkesbury stable last year he recommended Shiraz go to Waugh who has a farm on the NSW Central Coast.
Shiraz was spelled after finishing ninth behind Winx in the Apollo Stakes in February and was a close-up fifth in a handicap at Rosehill two weeks ago.
“He has settled in well with us but we are taking our time with him,” Waugh said.
“He won a trial nicely at Wyong before his first-up run which was handy. The Eye Liner is the right type of race for him at this stage.”
Another NSW sprinter, Acatour, is the $5 favourite for the Eye Liner, just ahead of the Gold Coast-trained The Virginian at $6.
Shiraz is a $9.50 chance.