Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Australia enjoyed a winning double at Flemington on Saturday with an early victory for Zunbaqa followed later in the day by a dominant victory for promising sprinter Shaf, a $420,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the draft of Yarraman Park. Trained by the Hayes / Dabernig partnership, Shaf appreciated a return to good ground to cruise clear and win the 1000 metre sprint by a length and a half. A five year-old gelding by Wanted, Shaf has won seven races and placed eight times from 26 starts earning prizemoney in excess of $256,000. Shaf was the second most expensive yearling from the first crop of Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap winner Wanted. Bred by Yarraman Park and partners, Shaf is a sibling to Group III winners Bliss Street and Jade Marauder and is one of three winners from stakes-winning Jade Robbery (USA) mare Jade Diva, who died in 2015. Yarraman Park sold a Stratum filly from Jade Diva at Magic Millions this year for $320,000 and her last foal is a yearling filly by Medaglia D’Oro (USA).
