When I included the Pins – Seven Schillings filly in my list of recommended lots in the Select session of the 2017 Karaka Yearling Sale, it wasn’t a difficult choice.
I wrote at the time…” Pins has reached that stage in his career where buyers are taking him very much for granted and forget his outstanding statistics. This filly has a late foaling date, something which can be safely ignored in assessing her potential. She’s also out of a Group winning O’Reilly mare. Case closed.”
Understandably, I’ve followed the filly’s progress closely since she was knocked down to the bid of long-time client Kevin Hughes. And progress she certainly has. It’s one thing to win the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes on your home track; it’s quite another to beat a genuine Group 1 contender at Trentham after a lengthy season.
It’s also one thing to win a Listed fillies’ event at Wingatui at your previous start by running your opposition into the ground with an impressive display of sustained speed; it’s another to settle near-last in a Group 2, loop the field and simply out-tough your rivals.
What staggers me about Emily Margaret is that toughness. After her Canterbury Belle success she spoilt her chances on several occasions by racing over-enthusiastically and failing to settle. Kevin has clearly worked his magic on the filly by turning this behaviour around without giving her a lengthy spell. Also, the decision to book experienced rider Robbie Hannam was an inspired choice.
Getting back to Emily Margaret’s pedigree, the success of the Pins – O’Reilly cross has been well-documented but I suspect that the influence of the Three Legs stallion Shannon has also been a factor. Clearly, he has passed on his grey colour but his ability to find that extra gear when necessary is also replicated in Emily Margaret.
