Meet Shaquille and the team at Julie Camacho Racing at this year’s ARC Malton Open Day. If getting to see behind-the-scenes of a training yard wasn’t enough, the chance to get up close and give the dual group one scorer Shaquille a pat and a polo is enough to encourage any racing fan along on Sunday 10th September.
On the 23rd of June Shaquille won the Commonwealth Cup for Malton-based trainer Julie Camacho, landing the trainer’s first Group 1 success and first Royal Ascot win. Oisin Murphy was in the saddle and after a slow start remained calm and brought home the winner.
The Racing Post reported from the trainer “I felt nervous all day, and a bit sick before the race. I thought Shaquille had blown any chance when the gates opened. He was good, wasn’t he? “It’s a massive day for everyone at the stable, and for his owners. I never thought I’d be celebrating a Group 1 winner at Royal Ascot.”
To follow up with the amazing win at Royal Ascot the team headed to Newmarket on the 15th of July to contest the prestigious Group 1 Pertempts Network July Cup, with Shaquille this time partnered by jockey Rossa Ryan. Shaquille again gave away lengths at the start but quickly and keenly pulled himself to the front of the field with impressive speed, at the two-furlong marker he was sent to win his race by Ryan which he readily did coming clear of his rivals by a length and a half.
Julie Camacho stated after the race “Why does he keep doing everything wrong?; I just wish he’d do things right. He was keen, wasn’t he? I’m at a loss for words”.
Of the team and future plans she said “We have been at it a long time. It is just nice that people in the north can have a bit of success because there are some really good trainers in the north and if we can get the ammunition, we can do well with them.
“We will probably go to Haydock, although we will put him in at Deauville (Prix Maurice de Gheest).
“Steve (Julie’s husband) will discuss it with Martin (Hughes, joint-owner). I’m only a very small part. Steve plays a bigger part than I do.”
She added: “I was wondering what he was doing after the stalls opened. He came on pretty keen and he did at Ascot, which isn’t ideal. I keep saying I wish he’d do everything right. He drives us mad”.
“I think since we are beating the older horses, this was better than Ascot. We were confident the horse was fit and well and he was in good form, but then we are taking on the older horses, aren’t we?”
Julie has now become the first female trainer to break the £1 million prize money mark in a season.
Why not visit the yard of Julie Camacho Racing at ARC Malton Open Day this year to meet the team and see where this group one winner is trained? Click here to book your tickets.