Shamus Award Breeder Greets One of His First Foals

It’s been an interesting few days for the team at Bob Hannon’s Ascot Park stud on the outskirts of Sydney with Stratum mare Echo Gal winning at Randwick last Saturday and her dam Pink Siris foaling a beautiful Shamus Award filly on Monday morning.

A $145,000 Magic Millions purchase for Star Thoroughbreds, Echo Gal was bred and sold by Bob Hannon.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse, Echo Gal has been a more than useful performer gaining valuable Black Type placings and winning four of 14 starts with earnings topping $270,000 in prizemoney.

Set to target Black Type events in coming weeks, Echo Gal has all the hallmarks of a future stakes-winner.

A stakes-placed daughter of Encosta de Lago, her dam Pink Siris was not surprisingly covered last spring by Snitzel’s Cox Plate winning hero Shamus Award, who was also bred and sold by Mr Hannon.

A sentimental choice of stallion for Pink Siris looks also to have been a good one with the arrival of this gorgeous bay filly just after 10 am on Monday morning.

“She is a big strong correct foal with plenty of leg under her,” said Ascot Park’s Amy Kerr.

“A very exciting addition for us.”

The filly is one of the first to arrive for Shamus Award, who retired to Widden last spring at a fee $27,500 and covered 165 mares.