Great Mates Share Belmont Guineas Victory
Jockey Pat Carbery says if Sheza Chalmer can be half as good as previous Belmont Guineas winners her future looks well assured.
Prepared by his great friend Bernie Miller, Sheza Chalmer won the first leg of a feature race double with a strong finishing burst.
Sent out the $3.50 second elect, Sheza Chalmer stormed home from eight position on the turn to score by a length from Kerman Rock.
Tri For Us ran third while easing favourite, Billy Ain’t Silly, faded to fourth after attempting to lead throughout for apprentice Laqdar Ramoly.
Sheza Chalmer claimed her fourth win from nine starts and joined several former top liners including Group 1 champion Kay Cee on the Belmont Guineas honour roll.
“She has always shown that she is well above average,” Carbery said.
“She is still immature and the best is yet to come.
“You can only hope she can take the spot of the horses that have won this race previous.
“We’ll be pretty happy if she gets up to the likes of Kay Cee (2020) and Grand Nirvana (2009).
“All of those sorts of horses that are very good horses in their own right.
“If she is half as good or three quarters as good as them we’ll be pretty darn happy.”
Carbery couldn’t hide his admiration for Miller after Sheza Chalmer’s first key success.
The Vital Equine filly gave the jockey and trainer their fifth black type race as a partnership.
They combined with Aquinas in the Tatt’s Cup (2010) and Cup Night in the Raconteur Stakes (2020), the Scenic Blast Stakes (2020) and the Northam Stakes (2021).
“Bernie is one of my best mates and they don’t make them better than him,” Carbery said.
“He’s all class the bloke.
“Some of the owners are good friends of mine too.
“It’s good to ride winners for great people.
“The cream always rises to the top.”
Miller will let the dust settle on Sheza Chalmer’s win, but he’s keen to test her again over further ground in a fortnight.
“We think she will go a mile and a quarter,” Miller said.
“All being well I hope we go to the Oaks.”
The Belmont Oaks (2000m) is run on July 3.
Julio Santarelli