By Julieanne Horsman
Shazee Lee has come from behind to cause a major upset in this afternoon’s $150,000 Provincial Championships heat at Hawkesbury.
At $21, the Scott Singleton-trained filly seemed an outside chance, but winning jockey Christian Reith didn’t think so.
“That wasn’t a surprise,” he declared after the race. “Her run was good the other day. She’s quite an erratic horse but we were able to get a nice run through them today and we didn’t have to go around horses, she could stay on the inside of them. She was a lot more tractable.”
At the turn for home Shazee Lee was second last but Reith managed to squeeze her through a gap and into the clear.
She chased down Budderoo Knight and kept going, kicking away to win by two lengths.
“She’s pretty smart,” trainer Scott Singleton said. “We were disappointed in her three starts ago but we put our heads down and worked hard to get her right. We decided to go back and ride her quiet and think that’s made all the different these last two starts.
“I’m really proud of my staff. I’ve ridden them a bit the last couple of weeks to get her as good as we’ve got her.”
Budderoo Knight (Tommy Berry) hung on to finish second for Kembla Grange-based trainers Robert and Luke Price. The father and son team now have two runners in the final after Noble Joey won the Wyong heat last week.
“I am thrilled to get this result for clients who have been very loyal to the stable,” Robert Price said.
“Tommy was upbeat about him and said if it was a dry track we might have won."
Another locally trained horse, Reiby Rampart (Glyn Scholfield) came third for young gun, Jason Attard.
“Everything went wrong but there was plenty of merit in the run,” Attard said. “That last 100m when she finally got some space which she needs was outstanding so look out when we get to Randwick.”
Shazee Lee, Budderoo Knight and Reiby Rampart have all earned a place in the $400,000 Provincial Championships Final at Royal Randwick on Saturday, 8 April.
They will join Noble Joey, Better Not Blue and Princess Posh who qualified in the Wyong Heat.
Gosford hosts round three on Wednesday 15, March.