Superstar sprinter Shaquille was the hot favourite in the Sprint Cup at Haydock to make it a hat-trick of Group One wins but ran to bad to be true but the Camacho yard having found nothing wrong with the horse are looking to move forwards and not backwards.
A winner on career debut at York over 7f, he then went back over the same C&D in the Group Three Acomb Stakes and was totally outclassed finishing last of nine in a race that has produced some nice winners.
Dropped to 6f back at York in October he resumed winning ways taking a Novice Stakes under a penalty and then in December made it 2/2 at Wolverhampton in a AW Championships Fast Track Qualifier over 6f.
Sent into handicap company for the first time at Newmarket's Guineas meeting, he powered away from a decent field to score off a mark of 94.
Given a chance when last seen in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes, he stepped up again to take the race from the front beating star sprinters Desert Cop, Aesop's Fable and Noble Style.
Last seen at Royal Ascot in the Group One Commonwealth Cup, he took his form to a new level to see off superstar Little Big Bear and land his first Group One event.
Regional (10/1) strikes in the @BetfairRacing Sprint Cup!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 9, 2023
Shaquille doesn't run to form but the really progressive winner relishes stepping up to six furlongs and lands a breakthrough Group 1 success for @ebethellracing and @CallumRodrigue4 👏 @haydockraces pic.twitter.com/EXJfZ9MFOw
What made the performance even better was him losing five lengths at the start of the race having fell out the stalls.
He made it six wins on the bounce when last seen in the Group One July Cup when again not breaking smartly, but showing unreal pace he went on to comfortably land the event by 1.5 lengths.
The three year old has taken every race in his stride this term and it was a shock to see him not pick up at all and finish last of the 16 runners, almost being pulled up by jockey James Doyle.
With not much coming to life after the run are hopeful they can get him bang on for the Group One Champion Sprint Stakes at Ascot in October.
(Credit ATR) “I wouldn’t say there’s been anything obvious, there’s been one or two small things we’re still investigating but at home he seems well in himself,” Camacho’s husband and assistant Steve Brown said.
“We were only ever going to Ascot anyway after Haydock, certainly domestically. He’s just returned to cantering and we’ll see how he is in the next fortnight.
“I hope we can (get to Ascot), I think that’s what Martin (Hughes, part-owner) would like, but it’s one we’ll have to sit down with Martin about and just see how the horse is nearer the time.”