Shinners Set To Break Group 1 Drought In Galaxy

WHEN Steve Shinners failed in an attempt to buy promising stayer Savic it wasn't all bad news.

Shinners was given Savic to train and the Victorian import is favourite to break the leading WA trainer's two-decade long Group 1 drought in Saturday night's Galaxy (715m) at Cannington.

Shinners, an ex-Vic himself, who trains in partnership with wife Krystal, is chasing his second G1 victory, 21 years after winning the 2003 Gleeson & Tonta (now Fanta Bale Super Stayers) with Oh Behave.

"It's pretty ordinary!" Shinners laughed.

"But as you know, Group 1s are bloody hard to win."

Perth Cup night, in particular, has provided a litany of near-misses for Shinners in recent years.

"We've had three finalists in the Perth Cup for two seconds and a third," he said.

"Electrified was dead unlucky behind Elite Machine last year, Canya Cruise was beaten a nose by Tiggerlong Tonk (2021), when Peter O'Neill actually called him the winner. Buster The Brute probably overachieved when he ran third to Simon Told Helen (2020)."

Shinners is seeking a change in G1 fortune in the $125,000 to-the-winner Galaxy, boasting two key players in $3 favourite Savic (box 7) and Zipping Neutron (box 5), a $7 chance.

Shinners agrees with the market that Savic, a son of Kinloch Brae and Bonnie Beauty, is his best chance.

Savic showed great staying potential in Victoria, running a close third in a G1 Bold Trease heat.

After relocating to WA he won his first two 715m assignments at Cannington before running a luckless second in his Galaxy heat.

"We tried to buy him but the owners didn't want to sell," Shinners said.

"I told them I thought he would go really well over here and they asked me if I wanted to train him.

"His heat run was massive. He got stopped three times and lost 10 or 12 lengths.

"He's by far the strongest dog in the race. 

"Whoever is in front wouldn't want to see him camped within five lengths because he'll be charging.

"His last 200m is just exceptional. It would be great if I could find some 800m races!

"This is probably the most continuity he's had in his career. He's had a perfect preparation. This will be his fourth ‘700' over here; he'll be cherry ripe.

"I was praying for an inside box, so I was dirty on myself for drawing box seven. Looking at it closely, I don't think he's that badly drawn, but I'd love to have Oh Behave out in front!"

Zipping Neutron was originally being sent to Shinners by SA trainer Tim Aloisi as a Galaxy travelling companion for newly acquired kennelmate Like Wildfire.

After being soundly beaten in the Galaxy Prelude on debut at Cannington, the widely-travelled Zipping Neutron, a son of SH Avatar and Zipping Gabby, bounced back with a 42.01sec heat success.

"Zipping Neutron was coming across as the second stringer to Like Wildfire, but unfortunately Like Wildfire had a little niggle," Shinners explained.

"It was a really good effort to win his heat because he got poleaxed the week before and pulled up that sore I couldn't run him during the week. So I was surprised he was able to run them down. 

"He's pulled up really well and you know he'll be running on."