Trainer Allan Kehoe to set Shaggy at Skyline ahead of potential Golden Slipper bid

Shaggy made it a hat-trick of victories last weekend at Royal Randwick and the stable hopes he can make a splash in this year’s Golden Slipper.

Shaggy made it a hat-trick of wins by claiming the Pierro Plate at Royal Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Trainer Allan Kehoe is prepared to alter his plans for unbeaten juvenile Shaggy as he attempts to turn his $5m Golden Slipper fairytale into a reality next month.

Shaggy put a Slipper tilt on the agenda when he completed a winning hat-trick with a sensational victory in the Pierro Plate (1100m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

He is not nominated for the Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22 but connections will consider paying the $150,000 late entry if he wins his next start.

Kehoe was due to unleash Shaggy again in the Group 2 $300,000 Todman Stakes (1200m) on March 8 at Rosehill Gardens but the son of Sandbar is now likely bound for Saturday week’s Group 2 $300,000 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick.

“It just gives him three weeks instead of two into the (Golden) Slipper if he races like he did the other day,” Kehoe said.

“It’s probably a bit better for him that way.

“Like his last race, he went three weeks into it and then if he gets his next run over and done with, we can put him away and he can float about for a week and then he will have two weeks to get ready for the Slipper if he goes down that path.”

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Is Shaggy a Golden Slipper dark horse?

Allan Kehoe's unbeaten youngster is now set to head to the Todman Stakes after his all the way win in the Pierro Plate at Randwick, where he beat Comedy and Skyhook. @[e-mail]/LjOZfbxyv6

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) February 15, 2025

Group 1-winning hoop Adam Hyeronimus will keep the ride on Shaggy for the Skyline Stakes.

Hyeronimus was a late call-up to ride the speedy gelding last weekend when Aaron Bullock couldn’t make the weight for the Pierro Plate on raceday.

“Hippo (Hyeronimus) will stick with him now, he’s done nothing wrong,” Kehoe said.

“I spoke to Aaron on Monday and he said it would take him a good month to get to that weight.

“He said he would have loved to do it and was gutted but he said it was way too hard.”

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Safe to say SHAGGY has pulled up well from his Pierro Plate blitz.

Next stop, the Todman Stakes on March 8 at Royal Randwick 📍

📹 Allan Kehoe @KooringalStud@WyongRaceClub@racing_nswpic.twitter.com/szJZ2U9B9n

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 17, 2025

Bookies made Shaggy a $15 chance for the Golden Slipper after his impressive performance last weekend.

The brilliant two-year-old came through the excellent display with flying colours.

“You wouldn’t know the horse raced to tell you the truth,” Kehoe said.

“He has been full of beans the past couple of days. He is out on the farm doing somersaults, he is one happy horse at the moment.

“If we can keep him in that frame of mind, who knows where he will end up.”

Originally published as Trainer Allan Kehoe to set Shaggy at Skyline ahead of potential Golden Slipper bid