Shekinaar Wins Christmas Handicap
- Saturday, 26 December 2009 13:30
Expertly ridden by Michael Hoppo, Shekinaar jumped from barrier four and held her position into the first turn to settle just forward of midfield, one away from the rails on the back of odds-on favourite Catapulted.
When Catapulted worked into the clear before the home bend, Hoppo followed his main rival through the field before peeling wider and hitting the lead 150m from home.
With fellow mares Hidden Energy and Moment In Time charging late, Shekinaar had too much up her sleeve to win by less than half a length on the line.
Shekinaar ($19) defeated Hidden Energy ($21) by a long neck with Moment In Time a further short head away in third.
Impressive Eagle ($6) completed the all female first four finishing fouth while Gogocanny ($10) was the best of the males in fifth.
Catapulted ($1.70 fav) was disappointing, finishing down the track in sixth over three lengths from the winner.
Shekinaar has now won four times and has been placed on a further three occasions from ten starts and her victory today came at her first attempt in stakes company.
Elsewhere in what was an competitive card at Morphettville, St Fraser won the final of the $30,000 Star Of Christmas Series (1400m) while open class sprinters Changing Eyes and Get Set shared the spoils in the $41,000 Allan Scott Park Morphettville Handicap (1000m).
