With his oldest crop now five-year-olds, this is shaping as a breakout season for Coolmore Stud’s wonderfully versatile Pierro.
With his first crop son Pierata and his second crop daughter Arcadia Queen providing arguably the two best trials for the $14,000,000 The Everest at Randwick on October 19, the 5-time Group 1 winning son of Lonhro could set a prizemoney mark in the first few months of the season that would take some catching by season’s end.
Pierro (image Mark Smith ) had an ATC Australian Derby winner (Levendi) and a Victoria Oaks winner (Pinot) in his first crop and his third crop son Shadow Hero will continue his march to the Victoria Derby in Saturday’s $200,000 Group III Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Ten years ago, the Gloaming Stakes kick-started the career of another Coolmore champion, So You Think, who has two excellent chances in Saturday’s race with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Dulcify Stakes winner Just Thinkin' and Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman’s Ming Dynasty winner Quick Thinker.
A veteran of just four starts, Shadow Hero made his career debut when second behind Autocratic with Prince Fawaz third, at Newcastle on May 5.
At just his second start, the Mark Newnham-trained gelding scored a hard-fought win in the Listed The Phoenix (1630m) at Doomben defeating Creator, Fasano, Eric The Eel and Autocratic.
The son of Pierro rounded out his juvenile year when doing his best work late when fourth behind Prince Fawaz, Kubrick and Reloaded in the Group 1 JJ Atkins Plate at Eagle Farm on June 5.
Off the scene for three months, Shadow Hero opened his classic campaign with a solid finishing third in the Listed Dulcify Stakes (1500m) won by Just Thinkin'.
Purchased by David Lui and Karl Chan’s Hong Kong based Sweetbriar Equine for $260,000 out of the Newgate Farm draft at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Shadow Hero (pictured as a yearling ) is the second foal and second winner out of the Casino Prince mare Sookie who was a $60,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase in 2011 for Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm.
A week after she won the Group III BRC Glenlogan Park Stakes, Sookie took her place in the Patinack Dispersal where she was knocked down to Gai Waterhouse on behalf of Pierro's owners, Greg and Donna Kolivos, for $700,000.
In two starts for Waterhouse, Sookie won at Randwick and was fourth in the Listed Canterbury Classic won by Knoydart.
Her fist foal was the Pierro colt Picaro. A $100,000 Karaka Yearling he has won four and placed in six of his 21 starts with earnings of $130,000.
Sookie’s third foal, a Not A Single Doubt filly, was purchased by Alan & Jennifer Acton for $550,000 at this year's Magic Millions and has been named Lady Grazier.
Sent to Tony Gollan, Lady Grazier won a 2yo barrier trial very impressively earlier this week at Eagle Farm.
Out of the unraced
Encosta de Lago mare Purple Blood, Sookie is a granddaughter of the Champion
2yo filly Victory Vein. One of the most underrated juveniles of modern times,
Victory Vein (Mr Henrysee) won 12 raced including the Group 1 AJC Champagne
Stakes and Group 1 Champagne Stakes and was runner-up in the Golden Slipper.
