SIXTYSIX HEADING TO MELBOURNE

Shelby SixtySix heading to Melbourne

Shelby SixtySix has had a relative holiday from the race track in recent weeks after having backed up each weekend for nearly two months during the Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Now trainer Danny Williams has confirmed that his Group 1 winner will head to Melbourne to tackle the VOBIS Gold Sprint after missing out on the All Aged Stakes on Saturday.

“There wasn’t much here in Sydney for him and he’s a horse that needs to be running,” Williams said.

“He just needs to be racing because we don’t do much with him on the track.”

Shelby SixtySix was one of the standouts from the Autumn Carnival after he went from Class 2 Highway Handicap winner to Group 1 winner in just four starts and trainer Williams dedicates those wins to not working on things at the track.

“He’s a big-framed horse and he jars up quite badly when we start working him so we found the formula that works for him is to start racing him and no do anything with him in between,” Williams said.

“He has great constitution where he’s able to recover very quickly in between races and he can cope with backing up while a lot of other horses can’t.

“We just keep him sharp and mentally stimulated and that seems to work.”

Trainer Williams has stuck strong with the training program that has seen Shelby SixtySix mixing form with the likes of three time TJ Smith Stakes winner Nature Strip and multiple Group 1 winner Eduardo.

“He hasn’t had a saddle on him for 12 days but that’s the recipe that works for him so we’ve just stuck with that,” Williams said.

“We’ve kept him working on the treadmill and swimming him so he looks fantastic.

“The trip to the races the other day was really stimulating for him and I’m sure he’ll arrive down there looking even fitter once he has a trip.”

Williams confirmed that after his Melbourne Trip Shelby SixtySix would head north to continue with his campaign, preferring the Queensland Winter Carnival over a one off trip to Adelaide for the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap.

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