3 minute read

George Fraser, the wel[-known Muswellbrook lawyer and owner of Ilala Stud at Scone, would have taken great delight from the recent win in Victoria of the two-year-old Shockaholic, the first winner by 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking.

Fraser and his wife Felicity have nothing to do with the breeding or ownership of Shockaholic but proudly boast that Shocking was one of the first horses they bred when they established Ilala Stud on historic land on the outskirts of Scone.

The farm was once a portion of George Fraser’s great grandfather W.J. Smith’s historic St Aubins Stud and Shocking became the first Melbourne Cup winner bred in the Scone district since Wakefield Stud bred the 1992 winner Subzero.

Sold twice at the Gold Coast in 2007, first for $45,000 as a yearling and then later that year for $64,000 as a Ready to Run 2YO, Shocking was a versatile galloper who won seven races from 1300m to 3200m.

He was a Flemington specialist where his five wins included the Melbourne Cup, Australian Cup, Makybe Diva and The Lexus and a head second in the Turnbull Stakes.

He was also runner up in the Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield and the Queensland Derby.

The Frasers bred Shocking, by Street Cry, from the imported Maria Di Castiglia, a non winner by Danehill.

Now owned by Shocking’s owner Laurence Eales, Maria Di Castiglia missed to Street Cry in 2010 and 2011 but produced a filly in 2013 from a mating with So You Think.

Retired to New Zealand’s Rich Hill Stud at Matamata in 2011, Shocking so far he has had only six starters including Shockaholic and Electric Aura, who has been placed twice in NZ.

Shockaholic, purchased for $75,000 at the NZ yearling sales by his trainer Matt Laurie, is from Lady Of The House, a winning half-sister by Blushing Groom’s grandson Housebuster to G1 Caulfield Cup winner Descarado (High Chaparral), Grafton Cup winner Simigan (Honor Grades), Hong Kong winner Matiri King (Generous) and NZ winner Carey Grant (Famous Star).