KEHOE CONSIDERING SEASON ENDING MISSION WITH SHAGGY

WYONG whiz Shaggy might yet get the chance to end his juvenile season on a winning note.

Trainer Allan Kehoe is tossing up whether to give his talented youngster another barrier trial or start him at Royal Randwick on Saturday week before the 2024-25 season concludes on July 31.

Shaggy pleased both Kehoe and his jockey Aaron Bullock in winning an 800m barrier trial on Newcastle’s Beaumont track against his own age last Wednesday.

He was easily the first out of the stalls, but then sat outside Newcastle trainer Paul Perry’s unraced colt Alexious before taking over in the straight and, without being pushed out, held a margin over fellow Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ late closer Cantiamo, who on debut led and ran fifth to Within The Law in the $500,000 Listed Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick last December.

“Shaggy trialled great, and pulled up doing somersaults,” Kehoe said today.

“I’m thinking about starting him in a 2YO Handicap (1100m) at Randwick at the last Saturday city meeting of the season.

“I’ll see how he does this week and then make up my mind whether to do that or trial him again.

“Saturday week’s race is run under Quality conditions and if I run him I will almost certainly have to seek an apprentice to claim.”

Kehoe’s immediate new season target with Shaggy as an early three-year-old is the Listed The Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 16.

Whereas the possible Randwick assignment on Saturday week is a Quality event, The Rosebud is run at set weights plus penalties.

Shaggy hasn’t started since finishing fifth – as a $2.45 favorite - to classy Newcastle youngster Rivellino in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 1.

He was beaten only two lengths and suffered his first defeat.

Connections after the Skyline decided not to pay a late entry fee to go on to the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 22.

Shaggy had won his first three starts at Coffs Harbour (January 12), the Sunshine Coast (January 25) and Randwick (February 15) by an aggregate margin of more than 10 lengths.

“I know he missed a couple of races (including one in Brisbane), but it has been a blessing,” Kehoe said.

“He has put on 22kg and looks fantastic.

“Shaggy does a lot of work out at our farm, and I’m looking forward to getting him back to the races.”

Whilst Shaggy is the star of the stable, Kehoe is busy with a group of rising three-year-olds.

“I’ve got 14 two-year-olds not far off turning three, most of them yet to race, and a number of them are showing promise,” he said.

“But none are as good as Shaggy.

“I might never get another one like him.”

. Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees missed out of Randwick yesterday, but collected his 125^th season winner when Hawker Hall scored at the corresponding Doomben meeting, whilst his apprentice William Stanley continued his emergence in the Sydney riding ranks by leading throughout on $11 chance Walking Painting in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) at the former venue.

Story John Curtis, July 13, 2025