Shamexpress back bigger and stronger

Danny O’Brien has revealed Newmarket Handicap winner Shamexpress has improved physically after the four-year-old jetted back into Melbourne on Saturday.

Arriving alongside the first batch of international raiders at the Werribee International Equine Centre, the son of O’Reilly was returning from a two-start UK campaign in which he finished unplaced in both the King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) and Darley July Cup (1200m).

Following his mandatory quarantine period, O’Brien said Shamexpress, pictured here at Newmarket on Thursday in the UK, would have a jumpout at Flemington before running in the Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 and the Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 9.

“He had about three weeks in the paddock at Newmarket (UK) and then he was straight back into work at Mick De Kock’s Newmarket stable,” O’Brien said.

“He loved the experience and he looks fantastic. He’s actually grown and matured because he was actually quite an immature three-year-old.

“We’ve found that a lot of O’Reilly’s do make a good leap between three and four and physically he’s certainly done that.”

Story by Ben Asgari, to view full Spring Racing Carnival story click here