Sunshineinmypocket flies home for timely win
Five days before his half-sister goes through the Karaka sale ring in the NZB National Weanling Sale, Sunshineinmypocket (NZ) (Proisir) added a seventh win to his record with a blistering come-from-behind performance in the A$160,000 Cactus Imaging Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Trained by Ciaron Maher for an ownership group headed by Ozzie Kheir, Sunshineinmypocket has now had 17 starts for seven wins, four placings and A$465,325 in stakes.
Having burst onto the scene in 2024 and 2025 with five wins from his first eight starts, Sunshineinmypocket went a year without wins between May of 2025 and last month – albeit with two seconds, a third and three fifths from his seven starts in between times.
He broke the drought in style at the Gold Coast on May 9, and on Saturday he went back-to-back with an outstanding performance.
Strongly supported from $4.50 into hot favouritism at $2.50, Sunshineinmypocket got back in the early part of the race and settled fourth-last.
Jockey Nash Rawiller struggled to find clear racing room through the first half of the home straight, but just as favourite backers were beginning to panic, he weaved a way through traffic to find clear air out wide on the track with 200m to run.
Sunshineinmypocket sprouted wings and unleashed a spectacular late burst, finishing over the top of Eye Of The Fire (Epaulette) and Romeo’s Choice (Choistar) to win by half a length.
“I’m glad we had Nash on today,” Maher's assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“This horse has always been showing a lot of talent, obviously he had a very good record in the early days. We have just been waiting for him to take that next step.
“I think that is probably the way to ride him, and he is at his best kept fresh. We don't do much with him, he always looks big, and that's when he is going well.
“The plan was to run him two weeks ago and he didn't get a run, so we just gave him a tick-over trial, but I think he is a horse that will go through the grades.”
Rawiller was similarly optimistic about Sunshineinmypocket’s future.
“He gives you a great feel, very professional,” he said. “He has a great record and I think he has a lot of upside. I think the penny is starting to drop with him.”
Sunshineinmypocket was bred by Daniel Nakhle. He is by Proisir out of the Jimmy Choux mare Sunrise Ruby (NZ), whose dam A Touch Of Ruby (NZ) won the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) and is a close relative of the remarkable multiple Group One winner Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Jenni).
Sunshineinmypocket was a $6,000 purchase from Haunui Farm’s draft at the 2021 National Weanling Sale at Karaka. He returned as a member of Prima Park’s draft for Book 2 of Karaka 2022 but failed to meet his $35,000 reserve. He was purchased privately after winning a trial at Avondale in February 2023 for Matamata trainer Kurtis Pertab.
A half-sister to Sunshineinmypocket is catalogued for the 2025 NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka on Thursday. The filly by The Chosen One is being offered by Leanach Lodge and is catalogued as Lot 42.
