Old Marvel Defies the Odds to Chase Another Win on Cup Day

It’s remarkable that grand old sprinter El Shaday is racing let alone still competitive, but the veteran campaigner might just add another win to his record when he lines up on Melbourne Cup Day at Cluden Park.

The winner of 11 of his 69 starts, the nine-year-old gelding is one of two strong winning hopes on the day for Bowen trainer Andrew Cameron who will also saddle up the promising Asherla.

But the fact El Shaday is still showing a zest for racing continues to amaze Cameron and his partner Lisa White who prepare their team at Bowen’s Ben Bolt Park race track.

El Shaday suffers from a rare progressive neuro-muscular disorder called the shivers, but through careful management has continued to race on successfully now for four seasons under Cameron and White’s care.

As the name suggests the shivers is characterised by muscle tremors and spasms, but has no cure.

“When Brian Guy had him before us he got him out to 1400m but his form then dropped right off and after some inquiry they found that he’d developed the shivers,” Cameron said.

“He recommended to the owner to send him up here where he could have more of a one-on-one with a trainer, but now he can only get 1000m.

“It’s a bugger of thing for them. We’ve had a few trainers who are familiar with it say it’s amazing we’ve kept him going ‘till he’s nine years old.

“We do a lot of trotting with him and have a powder we give him to help with his muscles and that seems to be working.

“Every year we think is this the last prep but then he comes back and races really good again. He’ll tell us when he’s had enough but he’s as happy as can be and he’s raced good all this year.  He’s been unlucky a few times.

“He’s just an old marvel.”

Cameron is upbeat about his chances with both El Shaday and newcomer Asherla.

He blamed a rock hard surface in Cairns for an out of character unplaced effort from El Shaday last start but expects the two-time Cluden winner to be highly competitive in the Travel Associates Open Hcp (1000m).

Asherla, formerly trained by Kris Lees, will line-up a strong contender in the Mitavite 0-65 Hcp (1000m) after a strong first-up fourth for the stable at Cluden earlier this month.

“We expect El Shaday to run a nice race again the old boy. He just tries his guts out. It’d be great if it rained – he’d be clapping his hooves – he loves it,” Cameron said.

“You’ve always got to respect Muttaburra (Gary Dickson), he’s an old legend and his horse Funky Music will be hard for sure.

“I was over the moon with Asherla’s first run for us and she should run well too.”

The Open Handicap will also see the return from injury for 2021 Townsville Cup winner Fortification who hasn’t raced since breaking down in the Cairns Cup in August last year.

Fortification continued his long path back to racing with a sixth in a barrier trial at Cluden on October 7.

Pictured: Go old boy! Veteran galloper El Shaday (white cap) goes down by a nose to Temple Run in last year's Lightning Hcp at Cluden Park. El Shaday will chase Melbourne Cup Day success at Cluden tomorrow.

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