Cesniks celebrate Shelby's sudden stardom

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

Having been beaten in a Class 2 race at the Sapphire Coast in January, Shelby Sixtysix has taken trainer Danny Williams on a remarkable journey, mixing it with the world's best sprinters when second in the G2 Challenge S., winning his first stakes race, the G3 Maurice McCarten and then storming late to win Saturday's G1 The Galaxy.

The run of Heavy tracks has undoubtedly played its part in the 5-year-old's stunning rise, but the Cesniks also believe Williams' horsemanship has been key to eliciting the best from Shelby Sixtysix.

"When he won his first couple of races, he looked good, but I heard last year they were having feet problems with him. Danny said every time he galloped him, he pulled up sore," Mario Cesnik told TDN AusNZ.

"They worked out what is wrong with him, he's got a bone condition and they treat him. His problem has been getting him fit again after they turn him out, but he's worked him out now, to do little with him during the week and he keeps coming up."

The other amazing thing about Shelby Sixtysix was that his win in the G1 The Galaxy was his eighth start in eight weeks since he dropped out to finish 11th in a Class 2 Highway at Randwick on January 22.

In a throwback to training methods of the last century, Williams has let the horse do his trackwork on racedays and has reaped the rewards now with his first Group 1 win as a trainer.

"In the old days, once a horse was fit, they didn't do much with them, they'd race them every week or fortnight and keep them going. That has clearly worked for this horse," Cesnik said.

"When you are running second to Eduardo and then winning the next race seven days later, a Group 3, and then a Group 1, you are not playing with ponies. These are good horses."

Flying a Kite

It was Jenni Cesnik, responsible for selecting Riverina Downs' broodmares, who secured Shelby Sixtysix's dam, Storm Kite (Honours List {Ire}) for just $8000 at the 2013 Inglis Sydney Broodmare Sale.

"She was a big, strong mare, a city winner and there was a nice bit of black type up close. She was a half-sister to Prophet's Kiss, who was placed in a Sydney Cup and won a Listed race. She ticked those boxes," Jenni said.

"She wasn't super sexy from a pedigree perspective and that put her in the affordable bracket. She was the most beautiful-natured mare. She was very strong as well."

Jenni's eye for a quality mare at a bargain price had already landed Viscount mare Luxury Suite for just $3000 a couple of years earlier and she has proven a grand producer, with three winners, including the Cesniks Listed winner Hi Stranger (Zoffany {Ire}).

Storm Kite was a four-time city winner for Ron Quinton, who had also prepared her Listed-winning sister Prophet's Kiss (Nediym {Ire}), who won six races and was just edged out in the 2001 Sydney Cup.

However, Storm Kite carried a tendon injury from her racing days into her breeding career, which troubled her throughout.

She foaled an Al Maher colt first-up, who sold for $19,000 as yearling but didn't make the track before Mario, who selects the matings, opted to send her down the Hume to visit then first-season Swettenham Stud shuttle stallion Toronado (Ire).

The result was a tough colt which made an immediate impression on his breeders.

"He was a little, strong colt, he was always like that. He was always heading somewhere. There was nothing at all wrong with him and he was so strong and was good as gold," Mario said.

The market also liked him when he went to the 2018 Inglis Classic Sale, with Williams and Astute Bloodstock going to $150,000 to buy him from Riverina Downs' draft.

Storm clouds with a silver lining

Selling the second foal of an $8000 mare, conceived off what was then a $22,000 (inc GST) service fee for $150,000 is good business in anyone's books, and the Cesniks looked onto a winner, but that tendon injury would curtail Storm Kite's breeding career and eventually leave her owners with a tough decision to make.

She missed twice after foaling Shelby Sixtysix and struggled to cope when a filly by Territories (Ire) arrived in 2019.

"She was chronically unsound. We ended up having to put her down as she couldn't get around. She was a big mare and we couldn't keep her going," Jenni said.

"She carried that last foal, Incorporation, and she was only on three legs. It was not fair to keep her going."

Incorporation was offered for sale through the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale last year but didn't reach her $60,000 reserve and the Cesniks retained her to race with their usual trainer, Shane Fliedner at Bendigo.

"She has run two fourths so far and she is racing at Sandown next week. She’ll go to 1400 metres. They have raced up to 1100 metres and they have just gone a little bit quick for her," Mario said of the Territories filly.

"She ran fourth to the (VRC) Sires' Produce winner Let'srollthedice. She has shown us enough to suggest she has a bit of ability.

"If she can win a city race, that makes her very valuable, and will give her a good future as a broodmare."

So when Shelby Sixtysix raced to victory on Saturday there was plenty of reasons to celebrate for the entire Cesnik family.

"I was elated. When I saw him open up 200 metres from home, I knew he wasn't going to give an inch. He likes the Heavy, because it doesn't hurt him and he's such a tough little horse," Mario said.

For Jenni, the fact that Williams has been able to produce the best from a horse with obvious talent, but a few challenges along the way, is the most satisfying aspect.

"The best part about him is that he has been so consistent the last few weeks. The horse has turned up every day with his A-game on and put it all in. As Danny said in his interview, what has turned him around is that he is a happy horse," she said.

"Danny has obviously refined his training and the horse has responded beautifully to it. It's beautiful to see."