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By John Curtis

Hawkesbury husband and wife trainers Phil & Tara Vigouroux had a “throw at the stumps” with Just Shane in last Sunday’s 1600m Coonamble Cup.

“It was a bit ambitious,” Phil Vigouroux said this morning. “We were hoping to get a spot in either the Big Dance or Little Dance at Royal Randwick next month.

“It didn’t work out, but he still ran well to finish fifth (to Victorian visitor Justadeel) in a strong race after being trapped wide for the first half.”

A happy Mollie Fitzgerald after winning on Just Shane at Kembla Grange. Image by Bradley Photographers

With Big Dance or Little Dance hopes for this year done and dusted, Team Vigouroux is backing up Just Shane at home on Thursday in the Bundaberg Rum Midway Benchmark 68 Handicap (1500m).

“I took Just Shane to Coonamble the day before the race, and haven’t put a saddle on him since,” Phil Vigouroux said.

“He has come through his trip well, and I’m just about to put him on the water walker.

“Apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald is back on Just Shane after winning a Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1600m) on him at Kembla Grange at his previous start.”

A five-year-old Showtime gelding, Just Shane ($7 on TAB) was purchased online through Inglis Digital for $7000 in April 2022 and syndicated among a group which includes Tara Vigouroux’s father, former Hawkesbury Race Club chairman Ken Quigley.

He got his name after what Team Vigouroux considered had submitted a number of good names only for all to be rejected, one of his owners suggested Just Shane as his stable name was “Shane”.

With only 10 starts in his career, he has won three, including a Queanbeyan Maiden Plate (1000m) breakthrough at $15 in April last year at only his second start.

Just Shane’s connections had to be patient as there was a decent gap between that win and his next – also at $15 – at Bathurst in August in a Benchmark 58 Handicap (1406m).

Unfortunately, the gelding had strained a tendon following his next start after his Queanbeyan victory, and Phil Vigouroux did a terrific job rehabilitating him and getting him back to the track.

Though big race aspirations with Just Shane are sidelined for the time being, there may not be an unreal expectation with a promising stablemate, who also lines up at Hawkesbury tomorrow.

Chad Lever, who has ridden Unreal Expectation in four of his five starts, continues a good association with him in the Clarendon Tavern CG&E Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m).

A lightly-raced four-year-old son of 2016 Stradbroke Handicap winner Under The Louvre, Unreal Expectation ($15) hasn’t missed a place in five starts to date; winning two of them.

He was nominated for the 2023 Magic Millions National yearling sale, but was withdrawn and Team Vigouroux subsequently was able to negotiate a lease to train him.

After scoring at the Forbes Cup meeting on August 3, Unreal Expectation had a short break after stepping up to provincial company when runner-up to Mizella in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) at Newcastle 11 days later.

“Every stable needs a good horse, and we’re hoping we can get a start with him in the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) at Randwick on November 1,” Phil Vigouroux said.

“All going well, after tomorrow’s race he will run at Kembla Grange on October 25 in a Conditional Benchmark 68 (1600m) and then back up in the Four Pillars (restricted to eligible metropolitan and provincial trainers) a week later.

“If it doesn’t work out, Unreal Expectation could go north for a suitable race in Brisbane in a few weeks.”

The rail is 4m out from the 1100m to 450m for tomorrow’s meeting, and in the TRUE position for the remainder of the circuit.

Racecourse manager Digby Nuthall at 7.40am today posted a Good 4 rating. A total of 37mm of irrigation has been put on the track in the past week, including 7mm in the previous 24 hours to that time.

The eight-race program begins at 1.15pm.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Hawkesbury here