John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have had a brilliant post-Christmas run and are ready to start 2026 on the right foot with the enigmatic Getafix in the Canterbury Classic on Thursday.
Five Randwick winners in two days, with a Boxing Day treble followed by a double on Saturday, boosted the stable to fifth in the trainers’ premiership, while Zac Lloyd leads the jockey title chase after riding four of the O’Shea-Charlton winners.
The trio combine with Getafix, who returns to the track after winning the Greys race on Oaks Day at Flemington.
“He is a horse that takes a few runs to find his best and needs things to go his way,” co-trainer Tom Charlton said.
“His first two runs when he got back and he couldn’t win because he got too far back, but they helped get him right for Flemington where he got a great ride from James McDonald.”
“He is the sort of horse you need to hold up midfield and he will charge late, which he did at Fleminton.”
“He gets in with 53kg with Zac riding him on Thursday and Canterbury should suit him.”
“The way Zac is riding at the moment you wouldn’t want any other rider in Sydney in the camp.”
Lloyd has a two win-lead on McDonald, who will return in the new year after his annual post-spring sojourn in Hong Kong. He will look to extend it at the Canterbury New Years’ meeting.
Getafix is heading towards the Magic Millions Cup at the Gold Coast on January 18, where Charlton is hoping to have a runner in the $3 millon two-year-old Classic.
“Tigroni was good running third on Saturday, and she will go to the Pearl the week before the Millions, and going on previous, if she can run one-two, she will get in the Magic Millions,” he said.
“She is a ladies’ syndicate filly, so we would like get her there and have a crack at the bonus.”
“It is where Getafix is heading for the 1400m race the same day, which I think is probably his best trip.”
