O'Reilly Strikes Again (March 8 2010)

Manakau breeders Margaret and Vern Trillo were able to toast to Gr.2 success following the running of the A$300,000 Gr.2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Responsible for the smart O’Reilly 2YO filly Shamrocker (NZ), the pair had plenty to be proud of when their 26-1 homebred charge overcame both a wide barrier and posting, to boldly wear down the likely looking winner Willow Creek by a short neck.

Trained by Danny O’Brien, Shamrocker (NZ) has had the three starts to date for two wins and a stakes earnings tally of $198,888 – a tally that easily eclipses the $65,000 her trainer outlaid for the Valaichi Downs consignee at the 2009 Select Yearling Sale.

Likely to be spelled now, O’Brien has high hopes the O’Reilly filly in the spring, with the Oaks figuring prominently among possible races considered.

With her win on Saturday, Shamrocker became the 45th stakes winner for O’Reilly – a sire who is also strongly represented by a 70.4% winners-to-runners ratio.

Shamrocker (NZ) is the first foal to race for his dam Bohemian Blues, who was herself a 5 time winner and a half sister to the South East Asian stakes horses Fairy Tale and Rock N Roll Kid.

Since producing Shamrocker, she has produced another filly to O’Reilly in 2008, a colt to Shinko King in 2009 before being served by Lucky Unicorn.

Courtesy of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing