SHAMEKHA'S Choice, the half million dollar galloper sent to Neil Godbolt by Emirates Park in the hope of winning a country maiden, smashed the track and class record with a runaway win in the Romak-Bremick Fasteners Maiden (1106m) at Port Macquarie on Friday.
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The ease of the win left the crowd buzzing with excitement and Godbolt scratching his head.
"I was hoping he would run a nice race but I didn't expect him to do that," Godbolt said.
"I have been giving him a lot of slow work with few gallops.
"After that I am not sure where we go from here.
"We will take him home, see how he pulls up, talk to Emirates and see what is around for him."
The four-year-old was having his first start in more than 12 months and after being switched to Godbolt from Team Hawkes.
Robert Thompson jumped Shamekha's Choice straight to the lead, settled him after he changed stride several times in the early stages of the race, then gradually edged away to hold a lead of several lengths coming to the turn.
In the straight he kicked away to win by six lengths, untouched, in 1min 05.77 secs, taking almost three seconds off the class and track records for that rarely used distance.
Shamekha's Choice, a blue blood if ever there was one, was taken home by Emirates from the 2010 Easter yearling sale after bidding stopped at $490,000, just short of his reserve of $500,000.
He is by champion sire Redoute's Choice from the multiple Group One winning mare Shamekha.
The horse failed at his only start at Gosford, was given a long spell and sent to Godbolt 10 weeks ago.
