Emirates Park Victoria stallion Al Samer sired his seventh first-crop winner when Shinto broke through at Launceston on Thursday.  The colt will be tipped out for better races as a three year-old after winning the Rotary Club Plate over 1200m.

Longford trainer Ken Hanson has a lot of time for Shinto.  “He’s a toff,” Hanson said.  “We rushed him earlier this season and, in hindsight, that was probably a mistake.  He was going shin-sore but we wanted to get a start in the Magic Millions.”

Shinto (2c Al Samer – Sashimi Express by Salmon Leap) finished last in the $100,000 feature behind Stratum filly Rose Of Scotland and was immediately sent for a 12 week break.

“I decided to bring him back in again even though we won’t see the best of him until next season,” Hanson continued.  “He ran a couple of good seconds in June and I was confident he would break through yesterday.”

Starting a $2.80 favourite at Mowbray, Shinto got a long way out of his ground under comeback jockey James Nevin but powered home in the heavy conditions to score by a neck over 1200 metres.

Shinto was a $7,500 buy out of the Park Crest Stud draft at the 2009 Tasmanian Magic Millions.  Park Crest owner Phillip Swinton sold him on behalf of Victorian breeder Ruth Frenzel.

Shinto is a younger half-brother to Kaemess (Kenny’s Best Pal) who won twice in Melbourne.  She was also successful in the Kilmore Trackside Classic and was G3 placed in the G3 Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield.

Their dam Sashimi Express is based at Frenzel’s Valleyview Farm in Gisborne.  She is rising 21 and was pensioned last year after missing to Shinzig.

Sashimi Express foaled Kaemess in 1996 and had only thrown one other winner before Al Samer sent her out on a winning note with Shinto.

Al Samer is finishing the season with a spate of winners and will end up well in front of any other Victorian based freshman stallion in the winners category for 2010-11.

Al Samer is a member of the burgeoning Redoute’s Choice sireline and he was a G3 winner of the Canberra Black Opal Stakes in a career that spanned just seven starts for His Excellency Nasser Abdullah Hussain Lootah.

Emirates Park Victoria manager Eddie Alvares will stand Al Samer for a $7,700 (inc gst) service fee this year.