Shamardalah and Luke McAteer © Photo Healy Racing
Nicely-supported Shamardalah (25/1 - 16s) gained a maiden win at Dundalk today, landing the Extra Places Everyday At BetVictor Handicap (div II) for trainer Ciaran Murphy and jockey Luke McAteer.
By late leading stallion Shamardal and out of a Galileo-sired mare, Shamardalah failed to place in five runs for English trainer William Haggas and having joined current connections for 7,000gns in July, today scored at the eighth attempt when beating Duleek Street by half a length.
Shamardalah had edged right in the closing stages, necessitating a stewards' enquiry, but the result stood.
Murphy wasn't present and afterwards jockey McAteer said “I was planning to jump and follow a few but there was no mad rush on.
“I rode her two starts back in Killarney and I was a bit annoyed with myself as I got caught behind a slow pace so I just went on about it today.
“She was having a good look around and she was lugging to the right the whole way but I think she just wasn't killing herself in front. I was always confident I was going to stay going.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
