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Racing's god smiled in several ways on Danny O'Brien and Glen Boss, who combined with Shamrocker to post an upset win in the Australian Guineas at Flemington.

O'Brien noted that the change in the Festival Of Racing programming - particularly the Kewney Stakes being pushed back a week and dropped back to 1400 metres - paved the way for Shamrocker to take her place in the Group 1 event.

Boss initially aligned himself with Absolutelyawesome in the $750,000 race, but when it appeared unlikely the fourth emergency would gain a start he was able to pick up the ride on Shamrocker and boot home his 74th Group 1 winner.

"She was very, very solid. At the half-mile, I had the opposition all around me and she was smoking," Boss explained.

"I was getting very confident at the 600m mark and she took a narrow split and although I hit the front too soon, her stamina was good."

Shamrocker became just the third filly to take out the Guineas in its 26-year history and also claimed the honour as the longest-priced winner.

Punters shunned Shamrocker on the back of her first-up fourth behind Southern Speed, when she was in desperate need of the run, and she was unwanted in the betting ring, eventually starting at $31.

But, fitter and appreciating the extra distance and a genuine tempo, Shamrocker produced a career-best performance that O'Brien always believed she was capable of.

He said the filly gave Brazilian Pulse too big a start in November's Victorian Oaks, "but she ran the trip right out", for a respectable second place.

"I'll nominate her for the (AJC) Oaks and Derby and if she can win up in Sydney it will give us something to work towards the Cups next season. If it (Kewney Stakes) had been a mile next week, we probably would have run in that. They dropped the Kewney back to 1400m and this filly needed a mile, and that's why we ran."

Shamrocker, given a beautiful ride by Boss, exploded to the front at the 250 metres and held her advantage to defy all the challengers. She scored by 1 3/4 lengths from Bullbars, a $9 chance.

Kerrin McEvoy said he thought Bullbars was looming as the winner at the 200m mark but Shamrocker was able to find a kick to hold out the Darley-owned colt.

West Australian colt Playing God, sent out a solid $5 second favourite, was three-quarters of a length away third.

Jockey Brett Prebble said he "zigged when I should have zagged"

"I thought at the 600 metres 'I'll get you to the outside and away we'll go', but I couldn't get to the outside. I was stuck," Prebble explained.

"That's racing, you can pull the wrong rein quickly."

Craig Williams said New Zealand filly We Can Say It Now, backed from $5.50 into $4.80, was disappointing after enjoying a lovely run in transit.

Steve Arnold described as "terrific" the run of Mr Chard, who stormed home to finish fourth, and Mark Zahra said fifth-placed Under The Eiffel, backed from $10 to $9.50, ran well, but would be aided in future by blinkers.

Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva produced his best run this preparation in finishing sixth and, according to jockey Luke Nolen, justified a trip to Sydney.

Story by Adrian Dunn, to view Herald Sun story click here

Photo by Slickpix, to view Slickpix website click here