Shamus Award deserves kudos for great run but it's no indicator of Derby hopes

SHAMUS Award would not be fancied to beat either Savvy Nature or Complacent if he ran in the Victoria Derby, writes Ken Callander.

Long-shot outsider Shamus Award streaks away to win the Cox Plate.

SHAMUS Award was terrific in winning the Cox Plate, but he would not start favourite to beat either Savvy Nature or Complacent if, instead of going for a holiday, he ran in next Saturday’s Victoria Derby.

Does this say Shamus, a star on Saturday, is not as good as the other two horses or does it let us know The Derby, an exacting 2500m test, is something else? I am not sure but I would not back Shamus in the Derby.

So You Think in 2009 was the previous three-year-old to Win the Cox Plate and he ran in the Emirates over 1600 at his next start and not the Derby and he was beaten. Savabeel in 2004finished second to Plastered in the Derby after winning the Cox Plate and Octagonal in 1995 ran second to Nothin’ Like A Dane both outstayed over the long journey.

Apart from Chad Schofield’s super ride the point I found most intriguing about the Cox Plate was how a horse bred for pure speed could produce the stamina and fight to win such a quality race over 2040 metres. Neither Shamus Award’s dad Snitzel (seven wins from 15 starts) nor his mum Sunset Express (five from 23) raced beyond 1400 metres.

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The use of blinkers by John O’Shea on Savvy Nature in the Vase on Saturday was a masterstroke and the horse raced straight and true in the day’s most impressive win.

But let us not forget Complacent, who had a day off on Saturday, has beaten Savvy Nature fair and square at their last two runs.So who will win the Derby or will Criterion or Polanski upset them both?

I think the barrier draw could play a huge part.

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Fiorente’s third in the Cox Plate was far and away the best Melbourne Cup trial on Saturday. Come to think of it, it was the only decent Cup trial

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I love Cox Plate day with a 30,000 plus crowd jamming the small track and providing an amphitheatre effect with the punters so close to the horses and being able to watch them all the way around the track.

Of course we have a super small track in Sydney too where punters can keep close tab on the horses for the whole race. It is called Canterbury, but the Australian Turf Club worry about nothing except Randwick these days and we probably need to start worrying about Rosehill.

On Rosehill it must have worried the powers that be that that were was a distinct bias in favor of runners close to the lead and close to the inside on Saturday after such good weather but with the rail out six metres. If it didn’t worry the trumps it sure worried the punters.

Do you think She’s A Girl ($17) and Zephyron ($31) plus a few others would have been winning on a fair surface?

The outstanding win at Rosehill looked to be that of David Payne’s two-year-old Bold Circle. He is going places.

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Blake Shinn’s uninterrupted run on Toydini in the Crystal Mile at the Valley gave the horse the edge on third placegetter Sacred Falls, who’s jockey Leith Innes ran into a traffic jam or two.

Both horses will be major players in the Emirates in two weeks but, unlike Saturday, Boban will be there to take them on.

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Ride Of The Day

Ben Melhan on Thermal Current, Peter Moody’s first city winner since August.

Run Of The Day

Savvy Nature. Went that little bit better than he has in Sydney

Forget It Ran

It’s A Dundeel. Trapped wide and not the fair dinkum deal on the day.