Any doubts that Shopaholic fluked a win over classic winner Mosheen in last Saturday's Group III The Vanity at Flemington, were quickly dispelled when the daughter of Pins scored a dominant win in the Group II Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Glen Boss, Shopaholic (Pins x Splashing Out (O'Reilly) came from midfield to defeat last start Listed stakes winner Soft Sand (Dansili) by a length with Cute Emily (Choisir) a further one and a quarter lengths back in third,
The victory takes Shopaholic's overall record to 5 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 10 starts for earnings of $283,044.
Trainer Danny O'Brien said the Waikato Stud coloure-bearer will likely back up in the Kewney Stakes in a fortnight.
"She is a very high class filly and we ran her last week to have her cherry ripe for today and obviously she beat Mosheen last week but she stripped fitter today and she was very impressive," O'Brien said.
"You could easily make a case to say she should be unbeaten in Australia. The two times she got beaten in the spring she was desperately unlucky and every time she is going to the races she is going up a notch."
"The plan will be to go to the Kewney in two weeks time."
Shopaholic is the first named foal of the former top-class O'Reilly mare Splashing Out who was also trained by O'Brien.
She won her first three starts including the Thoroughbred Club Stakes (G3) before finishing second to Gold Edition in the Ascot Vale Stakes (G1).
Her dam Iguazu (Carolingian) was also a talented performer winning a pair of Group 3 races in New Zealand.
Pins (pictured above) (Snippets) has six yearlings catalogued for the Inglis Premier Yearling sale and a further seven at Easter including four from Waikato Stud.
