Shamus Award (foaled 2010) is an Australian

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

, and winner of the 2013

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racin ...

. He is notable for being the only horse in the history of the race to win it as a maiden. Shamus Award was sired by Snitzel out of Sunset Express and was trained by Danny O'Brien.

Early career

Shamus Award made his racing debut at

Moonee Valley Racecourse Moonee Valley Racecourse, currently marketed as The Valley, is a horse-racing track in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. History Moonee Valley Racecourse was established in 1883 by William Samuel (W.S.) Cox, who purchased a far ...

on the same day as the 2012 Cox Plate running 3rd in a two year old's race. He placed 3rd in his next two races before entering his first

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

race, the 2013

Blue Diamond Stakes The Blue Diamond Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds, at set weights, run over 1200 metres at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The event is Victoria's richest two-year-old race ...

where as a 100/1 shot he ran an eye catching 5th. During the 2013

Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival The Spring Racing Carnival is the name of an Australian Thoroughbred horse racing series held annually in Melbourne during October and November. The Carnival and its status in the wider community Although racing in Australia is held every day e ...

Shamus Award ran 2nd first up before putting in a poor seventh. In the Group 2 Bill Sutt Stakes he was beaten by a nose and had a protest overturned before running 3rd in the Group 1

Caulfield Guineas The Caulfield Guineas is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held over 1600 metres (1 mile) at set weights for three-year-old horses at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia. Total prize money is A$3 million. The race ...

putting in a huge late run to make up ground on the eventual winner Long John after early troubles.

2013 Cox Plate

Trainer Danny O'Brien elected to pay up for the Cox Plate as a last-minute decision, citing that despite his status as a maiden his rating of 109 was higher than that of the last three-year-old winner of the Cox Plate So You Think in 2010. Due to his status as a maiden Shamus Award was only included as an emergency but with the last minute withdrawal and subsequent retirement of race favourite Atlantic Jewel Shamus Award was moved into the main field. There was a feeling inside the racing community that Shamus Award had not deserved his place in such a prestigious race due to his status as a maiden. As the race began, Shamus Award showed early speed and as a result apprentice jockey Chad Schofield elected to take the lead and dictate the pace. Shamus Award led the race from start to finish shaking off fancied stayer Fiorente at the final turn, before withstanding a late charge by

Turnbull Stakes The Turnbull Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, for horses four years old and older, run under set weights with penalties conditions over a distance of 2,000 metres. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse, M ...

winner Happy Trails, to become the first maiden to win the Cox Plate, giving jockey Chad Schofield his first Group 1 victory and making him the first apprentice to win the race since 1975.

Retirement

Shamus Award was retired from racing in May 2014 and initially stood at Widden Stud in the

Hunter Valley The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, Newcastle Region, or simply Hunter, spans the region in northern New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its ...

for a fee of A$27,500.

Stud career

Notable progeny

Shamus Award Group 1 winners: ''c = colt, f =

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States ...

, g =

gelding A gelding (Help:IPA/English, /ˈɡɛldɪŋ/) is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated Camelidae, camels. By compa ...

References

{{Reflist 2010 racehorse births Cox Plate winners Racehorses bred in Australia Racehorses trained in Australia Thoroughbred family 16