Shadow Play and Robbie Power in front and on the way to victory© Photo Healy Racing
In his first venture in the sphere, Shadow Play (8/1) ran away with the Oysters Point Handicap Hurdle at Wexford under Robbie Power.
The half-brother to five-time winner Storm Survivor, led from the first, and despite displaying signs of greenness the Kalanisi gelding proved much too good for the opposition, running away from Dante Anna on the run-in, to the tune of eight and a half lengths at the line.
"He is our first horse for Philip Reynolds. We bought him for him and it didn't look like it was working out," acknowledged winning trainer Paul Nolan.
"He did it well, he is not easy horse to ride and the win is down to the horsemanship of Robert Power.
"He was brilliant on him and he had him for a while schooling as well. The full praise goes to him.
"He worked a better horse than he was running. The better ground and the different tactics probably helped him.
"Davy Condon said he is a very hard horse to organise after he rode him the last day.
"It wasn't easy to make the running with him as he was running around a bit. Hopefully he will learn a bit, he is a big scopey sort of lad." (DM & EM)
