Group 1 winning sprinter Shellscrape has been purchased as foundation sire for Wattle Grove Thoroughbreds at Berrima in NSW.
Trainer Chris Waller recommended connections retire the sprinter after he developed hoof problems after running the G1 T J Smith won the Black Caviar last month..
Shellscrape (4h Dane Shadow – Kisma by Snippets) is also the first son of Kitchwin Hills sire Dane Shadow to stand at stud. Racing partners Gino Loiero along with Geoff and Mary Grimish were involved in both horses.
Shellscrape was awarded the G1 AJC The Galaxy after Ortensia was disqualified but he was a genuine Group 1 galloper with placings at that level in the VRC Coolmore Stakes and VRC Lightning Stakes down the Flemington straight.
He was beaten by Headway and King Pulse in a three-way photo-finish to the Coolmore and finished no more than a length behind Nicconi and Wanted in the Lightning.
Besides The Galaxy, Shellscrape won his first stakes race in the LR Australia Post Stakes at Eagle Farm and he also won the G2 Roman Consul Stakes and G3 San Domenico Stakes at Randwick.
The colt had won his maiden at Canterbury in April 2009 before heading the Brisbane. Jockey Corey Brown picked him as a horse to follow from the outset. “He’s got a great attitude,” Brown told pressmen. “I think he’s going places.”
Shellscrape cost $40,000 as a foal at the 2007 Magic Millions National weanling sale. He was the first winner for Kisma who had won three races from 900m-1000m in Brisbane.
Kisma has since foaled Dane Shadow filly Red Tracer who won Listed events at Randwick and Canterbury at her last two soutings. Her 2yo is a colt named Green Tracer and he cost $240,000 from the Kitchwin Hills draft at the 2010 Inglis Easter yearling sale. He is with Craig Carmody at Randwick.
Geoff Grimish purchased Kisma on the recommendation of agent Vin Cox. She delivered another Dane Shadow colt at Kitchwin Hills in 2010.
Shellscrape will stand for an initial fee of $8,800 (inc gst). Wattle Grove‘s Varda Green can be contacted on (02) 4877 2333.