Shiki debuts with Gimcrack Stakes victory at Randwick

Shiki burst from the barriers and straight to the lead before kicking strongly to win the G3 Gimcrack Stakes for two-year-old fillies at Royal Randwick on Saturday, 4 October.

The precocious daughter of boom Darley stallion Too Darn Hot just held off Screen Icon to win by a nose, with Masvingo a head away in third spot.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained youngster fought on when challenged under jockey Tim Clark and stopped the clock on a quick 57.54 seconds for the 1,000m journey.

Bott indicated the winner would head straight to the paddock and possibly return for a tilt at the rich Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast in January.

Out of the Exceed And Excel mare Jest Excel, Shiki was bred and offered by Cornerstone Stud, Angaston at the Australian Weanling Sale and bought by Riverstone Lodge/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) for $150,000.

She was then pinhooked to the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and purchased by Kurrinda Bloodstock/Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing for $420,000.

Shiki’s win came three weeks after Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot-Agnes Stewart) won the G1 Matron Stakes over 1,609m at Leopardstown, a fortnight after Too Darn Discreet (Maybe Discreet) took the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1,700m) and Tropicus (Hot Extensible) won the G3 MRC Heath Stakes over 1,100m at Caulfield.

Too Darn Hot has already sired 227 winners of 397 races, including 28 individual Stakes winners of 49 Black-Type events.