Trainer Paul Shailer ready to make his mark with young horses and powerful owners

Paul Shailer is unleashing some promising youngsters at Eagle Farm on Saturday and it could be the start of big things for the trainer who has strong support from a powerful group of owners.

It’s Paul Shailer’s time to shine.

Since starting his own training business after more than a decade working with Chris Waller, former Kiwi Shailer has operated with a simple philosophy.

“I have been saying to people, don’t judge me on what I have done now,” Shailer told Racenet.

“Judge me on what I have done in 12 to 18 months.

“The horses I am starting to roll out now are ones that could be pretty good.

“They look like we have spent money on them, they are different horses.

“This is the most exciting time of my training venture so far, absolutely.”

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With backing from a powerful group of owners, including the likes of Peter Tighe, Neil Werrett and Max Whitby, there is little doubt that Shailer has some big fish to fry in racing.

After a period training on the mid-north coast of NSW, Shailer’s stable is now based on the Gold Coast and his ambition is to become a Group 1 winner.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and now Shailer is starting to unleash some young horses, the first of many new to the racing scene, which could be flag-bearers for his stable in years to come.

On Saturday at Eagle Farm, Shailer will debut $500,000 colt Lipizzaner who will race in Tighe’s Magic Bloodstock colours which were made famous by Winx.

Lipizzaner, who won his most recent trial, holds a nomination for the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ at Randwick in April.

Shailer is eyeing off Lipizzaner, a son of Snitzel, as a potential candidate for the Group 1 JJ Atkins during the Queensland winter carnival.

Paul Shailer will start to unveil some young horses who could be flag-bearers for his stable. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

At Eagle Farm, Shailer will also race three-year-old colt Deep Focus who won his debut on his home track by a couple of lengths after being backed from $7 to $4.20.

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Lipizzaner is a well-backed $3.80 chance in the QTIS 2YO Handicap (1300m) and Deep Focus is $5.50 in the QTIS 3YO Handicap (1400m).

Of Lipizzaner, Shailer said: “Since we got him, he has always indicated to us that he is not one of those speed Snitzels and he could possibly stretch out to a mile.

“In his first trial he did a lot wrong, but in his second trial he improved leaps and bounds and was really good going through the line.

“He looks like a nice prospect and without being disrespectful, these sort of races at this time of year in Queensland tend to drop away a bit.

“When you pay that much for a colt like that with breeding like that, a Group 1 is the goal and hopefully we can get him to something like the JJ Atkins.”

Exciting colt Deep Focus wins his first race on the Gold Coast for Paul Shailer. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

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Of Deep Focus, Shailer said: “Deep Focus was one of three horses that were the first purchases for a big (ownership) syndicate that I train for.

“He was fantastic on debut.

“We took out time with him, he’s out of a Zabeel mare, and when we brought him back from New Zealand he just kept growing and growing.

“He is far from the finished product, he is very raw, and I wanted to keep his confidence high by debuting him on the Gold Coast.

“He was on his home track, we only had to walk him across the road and I don’t want to sound arrogant but we thought he would get the job done.

“If he wins Saturday, or races well, he is sort of horse we back off him for a couple of weeks and then maybe set him for the Queensland Guineas.

“He holds nominations for plenty of big (autumn carnival) races in Sydney but those will all come around too soon for him.

“With both horses, hopefully we can get a job done on Saturday and then we can make plans after that.”

Melbourne Cup winner Michael Rodd will ride Lipizzaner and Bailey Wheeler will ride Deep Focus.