Group 1 winner Fenway has returned to winning form in particularly impressive fashion at Moonee Valley this evening; producing an impressive start-to-finish performance to take out the Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600m).
Fenway produced an impressive turn of foot to take out the Group 2 Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley this evening. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
Jumping from the gates well, jockey Blake Shinn allowed the High Chaparral mare to stride forward and settle in prime position just outside and off the speed of early leader Amanpour, who set a reasonable tempo over the back straight and approaching the bend.
Receiving an ideal run in transit, Fenway rounded onto the final straight following clear race favourite May’s Dream and locked in a fierce sprint battle with the talented mare; pulling a length clear to post a third career success.
Shinn delivered a gem of a ride aboard Fenway for success in the 2015 Stocks Stakes and was thrilled to deliver his step brother and father Lee and Shannon Hope another black type win with the mare.
“This means a lot to me,” Shinn said.
“It probably gave me one of my greatest thrills on the race track winning on this horse in the Autumn Carnival in the Vinery Stud Stakes.
“To come here on a big night and to pull this race off for my family means the world to me.
“They presented her in good order, it was an exciting race from the 400m but she just delivered, dug deep and it was a great effort.
“I had to be positive early because I didn’t want to be in a position early where I was getting dictated to.
“I had to make May’s Dream work a little so I could myself in clear running and from the 700m I peeled her out three-wide; we know she’s better over a little longer so I used her staying ability.
“When it got into a dogfight I knew she’d be there for me.”
Shannon Hope was on hand for Fenway’s impressive win in the Stocks Stakes and revealed the team are considering aiming the mare at the 2015 Cox Plate following tonight’s performance.
“He came out with a game plan and said he was going to make them work for the first 300m, made use of the gate,” Hope said.
“He said he’d be rolling on from the half mile which he didn’t, he didn’t get on the fence, rode strict to the instructions and everything panned out, so it was excellent.
“She had a trip down here on Monday and worked well.
“The original plan was to look at the Toorak after the Let’s Elope but she didn’t have a hard enough run to we switched to path.
“We’d love to have a Cox Plate runner and she seems to handle the Valley.
“I think 2000m is her pet distance.”
Punters who backed Fenway to win the 2015 Stocks Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au have been paid out on generous $6.80 odds for success!
