A look back at Sean Buckley’s champion; Shamus Award, trained by Danny O’Brien, wins the 2013 Cox Plate (MVRC Group 1) at Moonee Valley – 26/10/2013
Shamus Award winning the 2013 Cox Plate video
Sean Buckley looks back at Marveen
Marveen breaks through in Merson Cooper
Talented filly Marveen broke through for a deserved stakes success in today’s Listed Merson Cooper Stakes at Sandown Hillside.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The filly, prepared by Aquanita trainer Robert Smerdon and raced by the Howell family, had placed at her only two starts and although she got off to a shaky start proved too strong for her rivals.
After only jumping fairly she mustered speed and settled in a big bunch behind the leading pair but shouldered through into the clear around the turn and went to the lead.
Jockey Luke Nolen kept her going and she drew away for a strong win over Tzarina, who was unlucky after bombing the start and being held up in the straight.
First starters Kalash and Yatala filled third and fourth.
Marveen is a daughter of Orientate from the Forest Glow mare Shiny, who Smerdon also trained, and put the writing on the wall with a narrow loss at Moonee Valley on debut behind Woppit.
Read more about the history of Sean Buckley’s Marveen here
Marveen’s win at Listed Merson Cooper Stakes http://www.racingandsports.com.au/en/racing/display-a-story-116743
Marveen bought by Sean Buckley for $450,000 http://www.racingandsports.com.au/en/racing/display-a-story-152885
High profile owner Sean Buckley will be looking for healthy returns from Marveen in the autumn after purchasing her with a view to her eventually joining his band of broodmares.
The four-year-old daughter of Orientate has raced twice since Buckley paid $450,000 for her at the Magic Millions Winter Broodmare sale in June and he will be keen to see her carry his colours to victory in the coming weeks.
Trainer Robert Smerdon said Saturday’s Listed Summer Race Days Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield would launch her campaign towards to the feature mares’ races in Melbourne and possibly Sydney.
“We wanted to give her a good spell after last winter and time her run back in to the autumn,” Smerdon said.
A six-time winner who has earned $631,645 in prize money, Marveen has three Listed races among her victories – the VRC Desirable Stakes, Gold Coast Bracelet and Merson Cooper Stakes.
Read more here about Sean Buckley’s Marveen here http://www.racingandsports.com.au/en/racing/display-a-story-167303
Sean Buckley: Miss Andretti – Star of 2007
Here’s a look back at the fantastic Miss Andretti in 2007!
Sean Buckley’s Miss Andretti!
Miss Andretti : Sean Buckley’s 2007 champion takes gold!
Shamus Award has been retired and will stand at Widden Stud
SURPRISE Cox Plate winner Shamus Award has been retired from racing and will stand at Widden Stud in Australia next season for a fee of A$27,500 (£15,080/€18,360).
The son of young sire Snitzel defied odds of 20-1 when breaking his maiden in the Group 1 event, besting such top-class runners as Foreteller, Fiorente, It’s A Dundeel and Seville in the process. The Danny O’Brien-trained colt returned later in the season to land the Australian Guineas – becoming the first horse to complete the double.
On Thursday, O’Brien tweeted: “Very pleased to announce Shamus Award off to Australia’s leading Stud. Over to you Widden!”
Widden Stud, in New South Wales, will stand 11 stallions for the coming season. Making the announcement, stud owner Antony Thompson said: “Shamus Award is the first three-year-old ever to win the Cox Plate/Australian Guineas double and we are thrilled to have him join our roster alongside our other new addition, the brilliant dual Group 1-winning sprinter Zoustar – who also made history as the first three-year-old to win the Group 1 Golden Rose/Coolmore Stud Stakes double.
“To be honest, it feels a little like déjà vu, starting off two young stallions together that we believe are the best sire prospects in the land.
“We did it a few years ago with Sebring and Northern Meteor, which proved incredibly successful, so I had no hesitation in seizing the opportunity to do the same again this year.”
Click here to continue reading the article about Shamus Award
Sean Buckley’s Miss Andretti wins at Royal Ascot!
In 2006-2007, Sean Buckley had success with Miss Andretti – winning the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot!
Here are some of Miss Andretti’s fantastic wins!
1st MRC Schillaci Stakes
3rd VRC Salinger Stakes
1st VRC Lightning Stakes
1st MVRC Australia Stakes
1st VRC Newmarket Handicap
1st Royal Ascot King’s Stand
1st MVRC Schweppes Stakes
1st VRC Age Classic Stakes
Sean Buckley: Culminate
Culminate is originally from New Zealand, owned by Sean Buckley and trained by Darren Weir is an 11 year old bay or brown mare (female).
In 2010 she raced into group 1 calculations with a determined victory in the Tristrarc Stakes at Caulfield. Culminate hugged the rails and cut the corner in the Tristarc while her rivals plotted a wider path but none were able to peg her back in the run to the line.
Jockey Michael Walker rounded off a winning double and thanked Buckley for his loyalty and belief in his ability.
”It’s been a long time coming, this win. Since I’ve come to Melbourne I’ve been riding for Sean and even though we had a few hiccups with this one having her injury, so this will pick us up,” Walker said.
”I knew that she wouldn’t have the speed to lead but she tricked me a bit today because she was a lot more forward than she was at Flemington.
”She pulled quite hard which took a bit of sprint out of her and she was on the worst ground but I just knew that she was a group 1 performer.”
One of New Zealand’s most consistent mares in recent years, Culminate also recorded a Group 1 placing at her first Australian campaign when runner up behind Typhoon Tracy in the 2009 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill.
Read more about Culminate’s success at Horse Racing Only
Sean Buckley: Perfect Promise
Perfect Promise racked up another series of firsts in taking the C.F. Orr Stakes (Aust-I) at Caulfield Feb. 11 2006.
Most significantly, the 6-year-old mare’s consummate victory in the $300,000 (Australian funds) feature saw her become the first South African-bred horse to win a group I in Australia or New Zealand.
The 1 1/2 length winner provided the first group I success for jockey Craig Newitt, and was having her first start for her owner Sean Buckley and trainer Lee Freedman.
Sean Buckley paid $725,000 for the daughter of Nureyev horse Caesour at auction in Sydney two months earlier to disperse the horses raced by the Written Bloodstock Syndicate of Mark Peters and Larry King.
It was one of a string of distaffer purchases made in 2006 by Buckley, CEO of the car care franchise company UltraTune. Grahame Begg prepared Perfect Promise for the previous owners. She became the first of her nationality to win an Australian group race in taking the Emancipation Stakes (Aust-II) in April, 2000 from the Freedman barn’s Uprize.
Sean Buckley: Dane Julia
Dane Julia was trained by Lee Freedman and is now an 11 year old bay mare (female). She is the daughter of Caesour, a South African-based son of Nureyev.
Orignally from South Africa, Dane Julia has won nine of her 35 starts including Group One features in the Turffontein South African Fillies Classic and the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.
Sean Buckley acquired the mare following strong international performances in New Zealand and South Africa. Dane Julia was a dual black type winner in Australia taking out both the Listed Wiggle Quality (1400m) and the Listed Summoned Stakes (1500m) during the 2009/2010 season. The daughter of Caesour won the Group 1 Fillies Classic (1800m) early in her career which commenced in South Africa and the 2009 Group 1 NZB Breeders Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha.
Dane Julia, who is out of Danehill mare Princess Julia leaves racing with over $500,000 in prizemoney earnings. She exits racing with strong career records which boast a diverse range of Group 1 results.