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By Ray Hickson

The Shaggy story is an important one for two-year-old racing – that’s the view of jockey Adam Hyeronimus as he aims to keep the youngster’s Golden Slipper dream alive at Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey Adam Hyeronimus (Pic: Bradley Photos).

He’s a horse that’s come from nowhere, at least as far as the Slipper is concerned, with a trainer in Allan Kehoe who freely admits he’s thrown himself in the deep end by targeting theses races and who took him far and wide in his first two starts before his Pierro Plate win put him on the map.

Hyeronimus, who became part of the story when jockey Aaron Bullock couldn’t make the weight for his Sydney debut, said he’d like nothing more than to win the Group 2 $300,000 Catanach’s Jewellers Skyline Stakes (1200m) and make a Slipper start a reality.

Shaggy isn’t nominated for the $5 million classic so connections will have to pay the $150,000 late entry fee.

“It’s very exciting for the group of owners, not only for them it shows other people there is a dream there for people that want to race for the riches of two-year-old racing,’’ he said.

“That’s the most exciting part, and thrilling part, about two-year-old races. Horses can put their hand up, there’s so much on offer in two-year-old racing.”

From Coffs Harbour over 800m, to the Sunshine Coast at 1000m then Randwick at 1100m, Shaggy has taken every step in his stride and that’s something Hyeronimus says is his secret weapon.

Kehoe reported that Shaggy has continued to please since his Randwick win and isn’t the type of horse that overdoes it at home and has put on weight again.

“He’s done a very good job to be unbeaten, he travelled to Coffs Harbour for his debut which is a fair distance for his first start,’’ Hyeronimus said.

“He’s travelled again up to Queensland, it’s a fair trek for two-year-old, and he’s come back and shown it hasn’t worried him in the Pierro Plate.

“I’ve ridden a lot of nice two-year-olds and I think the common denominator is a horse that’s quite forward with a good attitude. It’s a very good recipe for a two-year-old.”

Shaggy, $2.30 with TAB on Thursday and a $15 chance in the Slipper, has drawn ideally in the Skyline and Hyeronimus said how he went about winning last start fills him with confidence that he’s going to take some beating again.

“The only box he needs to tick is the 1200m and I’m not concerned,” he said.

“He went again at the furlong the other day and he’s run time, and maintained that gallop.”

Les Vampires has his first run since April in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1200m) having tackled Group company at his past four starts.

The four-year-old kicked off that prep with a win then ran third behind Celestial Legend and Encap in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes and Hyeronimus said he can run a slick race fresh.

“He’s come back very well, he’s had a few different setbacks and hasn’t raced for quite some time but he’s been in work for some time,’’ he said.

“He’s coming to had nicely and whatever he does he will improve on.

Shaggy wins the Pierro Plate at Randwick on February 15

“It’s not going to be an easy race to win but I’m looking forward to seeing him back.”

Adam Hyeronimus on Golden Mile (Race 9): “I was very happy with his trial, I rode him at Warwick Farm and he showed me good signs that he’s come back well. He wanted to leave the gates sharply, which is good to see with an older horse, and I think it was nice for him to win the trial.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Randwick