Trained by the Hayes / Dabernig partnership as is Catchy (read about here here), five year-old Holy Roman Emperor (IRE) mare Sheidel already had $1million in prizemoney before this weekend, but was in need of a Group I win.
Resuming from a spell, she flew straight to the front for Joao Moreira and kept running right to the line to win the 1100 metre sprint by a length in a sizzling 1:02.11 seconds.
She defeated her stablemate Faatinah with last year's Blue Diamond winner
Extreme Choice, charging home late for third.Sheidel eased from $6 to $8 in the official prices but David Hayes said the market could have underestimated the quality of Sheidel's second to Takedown in the Group I WATC Winterbottom Stakes at her previous start in November.
"We were really confident with her," Hayes said. "I think that Perth form is really under-rated. She was just spot on and she really put the run up."
Dabernig said he remained confident in Sheidel throughout the race, even when Faatinah launched his challenge early in the straight.
"She really deserved it. She has been narrowly beaten in a couple of Group Is and today, she travelled and never looked like she was going to get beat," Dabernig said.
"It really takes your breath away, it was amazing to watch."
Formerly prepared by David Harrison in WA before her private purchase by Dorrington Farm, Sheidel has the overall record of 15 wins and six placings from 27 starts with prizemoney topping $1.5 million and now heads to the Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap.
Foaled and raised at Amarina Farm for her breeder Des De Largie, Sheidel is a half-sister to stakes-winner Latoria and is the best of three winners from ill-fated Laventour, a half-sister by Metal Storm (Fr) to Group III winner Track Jester.
Sheidel is the tenth Group I winner worldwide for Holy Roman Emperor, who shuttled to Aquis Farm in Queensland for the first time last spring covering 125 mares at a fee of $9,900.
