Trainer Ciaron Maher and the Ozzie Kheir-John O’Neill ownership group have had a stellar run with New Zealand imports in recent times, and Sunshineinmypocket put his hand up as another one to watch with his come-from-behind victory at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon.
That owner-trainer combination has celebrated three Group One victories in 2025 with their Per Incanto geldings Jimmysstar and Gringotts. Jimmysstar took out the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and All Aged Stakes (1400m), while Gringotts won the George Ryder Stakes (1500m).
Saturday’s Benchmark 84 handicap was well below those heights, but Sunshineinmypocket has now won five of his eight starts and has banked $254,125 in prize-money.
A strong-finishing second placegetter over 1300m at Bendigo last start, Sunshineinmypocket stepped out as a $3.50 second favourite with horse racing bookmakers on Saturday and produced an outstanding performance.
Sunshineinmypocket jumped only fairly from the starting gate and was taken back to second-last by jockey Ethan Brown. He crept closer down the side of the track, moving up into ninth spot and well within striking distance as the field turned for home.
Brown angled Sunshineinmypocket to the outside in the straight and pushed the button. The four-year-old showed a brilliant turn of foot, racing past six rivals in the final 200m.
Mollynickers had herself accelerated stylishly to take command late in the piece, but Sunshineinmypocket flew up alongside her in the last few strides and pipped her by a nose right on the finish line.
“It’s becoming common for Ciaron to have horses like this that keep stepping up and improving, and especially in these colours,” Brown said. “This horse will definitely work his way up through the grades too. The heights he can get to, you never know, but I can see him continuing to progress and surprising people.
“I didn’t really want to be that far back today, but they were rolling along early. When they came up for a breather mid-race, I was able to tack up into that three-wide train. We got a lovely cart into the race. He was always going to win in the last 50m.
“This was my first time riding him in a race, but I remember riding him in trackwork one morning. I said, ‘Hey, Ciaron, what’s this thing?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, it goes alright, doesn’t it?’ And I think that was my only sit on him.
“He put the writing on the wall last start, and he’s always shown ability. Winning form is good form. This will be good for his confidence, and he’s certainly on an upwards spiral.”
Maher was represented at Caulfield on Saturday by assistant trainer Jack Turnbull.
“He’s a good horse,” Turnbull said. “We’re going to keep him to the shorter distances, and when you keep him fresh and you ride him like that, he has the ability to finish like he did today. He’s definitely a horse that can go on to higher grades than this.”
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