Shockletz out to emulate dad

The Ciaron Maher-trained mare is a daughter of Shocking and races under the same Eales Racing colours.

The similarities don't end there, with the five-year-old to carry the same weight – 51kg – as Shocking carried to victory and coming off victory in the same race that Shocking won before his success.

The Melbourne Cup has naturally been the race Laurence Eales, who also owns Shockletz's dam Zelt, has been dreaming of since she was born on 27 November 2021 and Maher is delighted he got her to the race for him.

"It was always on our radar if we could get her in," Maher said.

"She's a horse we've been very, very patient with, and so has Laurence Eales, and she's just developed and strengthened.

"I can only imagine how Laurence and his team of owners are feeling, winning it with the sire and then breeding one.

"They would be beside themselves just to be in the race and I think she's got an extremely good chance."

Shockletz will catapult her sire onto an elite list with victory in Tuesday's $10 million event at Flemington.

A Melbourne Cup winner hasn't sired the winner of the race since Silver Knight's son Black Knight won in 1984, while Grand Flaneur, Malua and Comedy King are the other winners to produce a Melbourne Cup hero.

The Melbourne Cup will be Shockletz's 21st start, having launched her career with a second placing in a modest 1400m maiden at Ballarat in September 2024.

She won a 1500m fillies and mares maiden at Bendigo as a $1.45 at her following start, which earned her a spot in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m), which prove a bridge too far.

Sights were lowered last year and Maher allowed Shockletz to race her way through the grades, nine starts in either three-year-old or benchmark company resulting in five wins, which gave the team hope that she could one day realise their Melbourne Cup dream.

The foundations for the Cup campaign were laid with three runs between May 2 and June 6 before starting the build-up to the first Tuesday in November on the first day of the racing season.

After a sixth placing over 1620m at Flemington on August 1, she was fourth in what turned out to be a slick 2000m handicap at Caulfield four weeks later before a dominant win in the race that has been rebadged The Archer, which carries a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption.

In 2009, that 2500m Group 3 was known as The Lexus Stakes and was run on Derby Day, but still carried a Melbourne Cup golden ticket, which Shocking collected.

Maher has been able to concentrate on the Melbourne Cup since and Shockletz finished sixth in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) before a narrow second in the Group 3 Tesio Stakes (2040m) under 58kg at Flemington on Cox Plate Day.

The champion trainer couldn't be happier with Shockletz's preparation and compares her to High Emocean, who ran third in the 2022 Melbourne Cup, which Maher won with Gold Trip.

"The old saying is you've got to beat the handicapper, well, she gets in with no weight and she flew here last Saturday," Maher said.

"She reminds me of a horse that we had that ran very well called High Emocean. She ran third, had no weight, snuck into the field, and she just gives me that feel.

"She might even be a little bit better than her and with no weight they can go to a new level."

The only thing to be confirmed is who will ride Shockletz from barrier 17 with Harry Coffey, who has ridden her in all three starts this season, involved in a Derby Day fall and in doubt to take his place after suffering a collarbone injury.