Andy Slattery© Photo Healy Racing
The Andy Slattery-trained Sharjah bids for a hat-trick of January wins at Dundalk on Friday evening but the versatile trainer will also be hoping for more sales success in the point-to-point fields in the coming months.
Slattery's jumping academy has sold some top-class horses in recent years and with Champion Hurdle favourite Faugheen being one of two graduates to win at the Cheltenham Festival, he is just as comfortable training Sharjah to win on the sand at Dundalk.
Slattery says "Sharjah loves the surface, loves Dundalk and is in great form. He's been on the go since last March but we'll keep running him as long as he tells us to go on.
"He wants real fast ground and doesn't get it on grass as a lot of the tracks are over-watered. I think he's better over a mile and a quarter but he gets this trip (mile and a half) and I'm of the opinion he'll also get two miles.
"If we get a dry summer he could also win a few handicap hurdles.
"My sister-in-law Sharon Slattery owns him and every day he runs he picks up prize money and if he doesn't win on Friday, we'd be happy with that."
Slattery's yard in Cooldine provides the giveaway answer to his other Cheltenham Festival winner but other high-class horses to have passed through his hands are Monksland, Quel Esprit, Invictus and Foxrock.
He added: "We race what we can't sell and we're sellers to survive. I sold a lot of four-year-olds last year and have a few decent four-year-olds to run in the next few weeks."
Slattery sends four runners in total to the Co Louth venue.
He said: "I'm not sure if A Few Dollars More will get the six furlongs but if he gets the trip I think he'll win He's not in love with Dundalk but he has a lot of speed.
"Merry Mast is better over a mile and has had a few problems with the stalls but is taking his chance. He is well capable and has more ability than he has been showing on the track."
"Razia is fairly straightforward but a mile and a quarter is a bit on the short side. She's working very well, though, and I'm expecting a big run."
By Tom Weekes
