Coventina Bay is the first Gr1 winner for Shamexpress winning the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.
Coventina Bay had twice finished runner-up in Gr.1 company and after being towards the rear early was able to make ground along the inside into the home straight before wearing down pacemaker Vernanme in the final 50m to add her first elite level victory.
Shamexpress (O’Reilly), himself the winner of the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap over 1200m at Flemington.
Shamexpress is also represented by recent Gr.2 Wellington Guineas winner Shamus and was advertised at $NZ6000 at Windsor Park Stud in 2021.
Bred by co-owner Wayne Darling under his EVB Ltd. Banner, Coventina Bay is a daughter of three-time winner Coventina (High Chaparral) with her granddam Niniane (Casual Lies) a winner over five furlongs and L.R. placed in the South Island Two-Year-Old Stakes at Christchurch.
The third-dam is dual Gr.1 winner Nimue (Star Way), winner of the 1992 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and the Levin Classic. Nimue is a sister to Gr.1 Wellington Cup winner Smiling Like and half-sister to Gr.1 Easter Handicap at Ellerslie winner Sirstaci (Silver Dream).
Coventina died in 2018.