Dubai: Team Godolphin’s Vashka picked up a career seventh victory and fifth at Rosehill Gardens, Australia with a battling performance in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes on Saturday.
With Sam Clipperton on board the Exceed And Excel colt for only the second time since June last year, the pair dug deep to repel the late challenge of God’s In Him in a nail-biting four-horse finish to the seven and a half furlong contest.
Messene, the mount of Brenton Aydulla was a neck back in third while Hugh Bowman’s Flamingo Star was fourth, a further head behind.
Godolphin’s Australia-based handler John O’Shea told the stable’s website: “As Sam Clipperton said, ‘Vashka was there to be beaten over the final 100 metres but he held on for a good tough win’.
“This was an outstanding effort by Vashka, he loves the 1,500 metres at Rosehill, got the good run and held them off.”
Twenty-one year old Clipperton added: “He was very impressive, this horse.
“Vashka hasn’t had a chance of racing like he likes to race, in the sense of bowling along, until today.
“I was able to do that, not in leading as it would have taken too much work to get to the front but he settled OK outside the leader.
“He was there to be beaten in the last furlong but to his credit hung on well.
“He appreciated 1,500 metres and performs well on this track - I was very confident about his chance.”
Vashka earned ballot exemption from the $1 million (Dh3.67 million) Group I Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick next Saturday for his Shannon Stakes win, but Godolphin have not confirmed weather he will start.
Saturday’s victory marked the first Group success for the Darley-bred five-year-old who was previously trained by Peter Snowden.
Clipperton was also completing a big-race double at Rosehill after an earlier victory aboard Peeping in the Group 2 Golden Pendant.
Godolphin were denied a meet double when Shards finished runner-up to the impressive Press Statement in the Group 2 Dyldam Stan Fox Stakes over seven and a half furlongs.
“Shards is back in the game, travelled well, got to the right part of the track, was a little flat-footed late but overall it was a much improved performance.” commented O’Shea.
