Tony Gollan may have had the numbers in the Swiss Ace Plate but for punters who like a ‘box ticker’, Shalaa’s Moment delivered with a strong performance in the Sunshine Coast sprint feature.
A wet surface, a perfect record first-up, and not yet missing a placing over the course and distance were the ingredients to the Matt Hoysted-trained five-year-old taking the 1000-metre event.
“She’s been airborne, this mare, and she has been able to continue to improve with age,” Hoysted said.
“We were pretty unlucky at our last two runs at Eagle Farm where nothing went right. She’s got a great fresh record and this is a track that really suits her.”
With seven wins in her 14 starts so far, Shalaa’s next outing is likely to be the Listed Bribie Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm for which Hoysted sees the three weeks between runs being a positive.
Shalaa’s Moment ($5.50) was Hoysted’s first winner at Ipswich in March 2024 immediately after the training partnership with Steven O’Dea was dissolved.
He has since run at a 19% winning strike-rate across 175 runners.
$4.40 betting site favourite Nettuno failed to run on late in the race while early leader Golden Boom ($4.60) was outgunned by Shalaa’s Moment towards the line.
The $160,000 Mooloolaba Cup was taken out by the Ben Ahrens-trained Kerchak in a highlight for his small stable.
Purchased for $3,000 off an Inglis Digital sale in June 2023, the six-year-old gelded son of New Zealand sire Tarzino notched his eighth win in 15 starts.
“He had tendon issues so we picked him up cheap and, touch wood, he’s sound,” Ahrens said.