Shadow Eile loves the Ballybrit Air

Three runs and two wins reads the record at this year’s Galway Festival for Dot Love’s tough seven-year-old Shadow Eile

The top weight and 2/1 favourite in the two mile mares handicap hurdle hit the front at the last under Andrew McNamara and went on to score by four and a half lengths from Knockcroghery (6/1). Heavenly Chorus ruined her chance by blundering two out, but was noted staying on again to take third at 25/1.

Ciaran Murphy, assistant trainer to Dot Love, said: “She was in super form. When you have mares and they are right, we decided to run her again.

“Things didn’t go right on Monday, but she didn’t have a hard race. She travels so well and we might pick out a nice flat race in autumn like the Cesarewitch or the November Handicap.

“In the meantime she’ll go over hurdles at Killarney and longterm the mares hurdle at Cheltenham is the main plan. She wants ground on the easy side of good.”

Pat Martin’s hat-trick seeking Our Nana Rose cut out the pace but could find no extra from the last. She finished fourth.

(on course reporting by Thomas Weekes)