Speedy Shamelia Kirk to close out campaign at Otaki

Flying New Zealand filly Shamelia Kirk will close out her juvenile campaign at Otaki with confidence in the camp that she can sign off as a black-type winner.

The speedy daughter of Shamexpress will head for a break after Friday’s Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) with trainer Robbie Patterson bullish of a successful finale.

“She’s done very well since she last raced, I’ve just had to keep her happy,” the New Plymouth horseman said.

“She’s super fit and a heavy track won’t worry her, she’s got that action that allows her to skip over it and the ground will hinder others more than her.

“She’s a lovely horse to deal with, she’s dedicated to her job, but she always grabs the bit and wants to run along. She’s hard to gallop in company because she’s so fast and does a lot of work on her own.”

Patterson is adamant that a winning run on Friday won’t tempt him to return to Otaki a fortnight later for the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m).

“It’s only two weeks apart so she will go out for three weeks in the paddock and then come back for the spring and see where she’s at and how far she will get,” he said.

“She is a very fast filly and whether she’ll get a mile, on breeding she should but you never know, and there’s still some nice targets for three-year-old sprinters all through the season.”