Sampeah Going For Champagne Sparkle

Time/Date - 14.07hrs local time/Saturday, May 9, 2015
Racecourse/Country - Doomben/Australia
Surface/Distance - Turf/6f

Sampeah runs in the Group Two Bollinger Champagne Classic over six furlongs at Doomben, Australia, on Saturday, May 9.

The two-year-old Exceed And Excel colt, who is trained by John O'Shea and due to be ridden by James McDonald for the first time, kept on well to finish third over a furlong further in the Group Two VRC Sires' Produce Stakes at Flemington on March 14.

He made two appearances at Caulfield, going down by five lengths when eighth in the six-furlong Group One William Hill Blue Diamond Stakes on February 28 and taking third in a Group Three contest over five and a half furlongs two weeks earlier.

Sampeah enjoyed a winning debut with a comfortable victory in a Rosehill Gardens conditions race, also over five and a half furlongs, on November 29.

John O'Shea said: "Sampeah had a slight issue with mucous in the throat on his last start but worked brilliantly on Tuesday.

"He has an awkward gate in 11 so James will have to ride him conservatively.

"If Sampeah gets a bit of luck in running, there would be no reason he won't be hitting the line."

Sampeah faces 14 other two-year-olds including Group Three fourth Sempre Libera, three-time winner Le Chef and Warwick Farm scorer Counterattack.