Shengmu sails home for Oakland Park

Oakland Park studmaster Neville Duncan completed a contrasting interstate double when speedy filly Shengmu sailed to victory at Belmont on Saturday.

Shengmu (3f Fath – Perpendicular by Charge Forward) made all the pace for Lucy Warwick to pinch the Westspeed 3YO Hcp (1000m) by more than two lengths from the Oratorio geldings Palace Intruder and Castle Retreat.

The Oakland Park homebred won just days after Duncan’s dour stayer No Song No Supper (Song Of Tara) claimed a Sandown-Hillside hurdle over 3300 metres.

“She has a lovely attitude and is a jump and run filly,” trainer Fred Kersley said.  “The weight (52kg) made all the difference and she was rated well by Lucy.

“I liked Fath and went looking for his yearlings at the sales.”  Fath (Danzig) stood at Westbury Park in Pinjarra for four seasons before succumbing to a snake bite in January 2012.

Shengmu descends from a Heytesbury Stud family that generated the Is It True (USA) stakes winners Tell Me Straight (LR Belgravia Stakes) and Genuine Girl (LR Crystal Slipper).

Impressing Matters, a daughter of Oakland Park sire Viscount, is another close relation – she was a Listed winner of the 2007 Burgess Queen Stakes.