Shahaada leads home Give Her A Squeeze and Summit Star© Photo Healy Racing
Shahaada deservedly made the breakthrough in the opener at Clonmel, the Clonmel Racecourse Supporters Club Fillies Maiden.
Second on two of her previous five starts, the Kevin Prendergast trained bay was expected to get off the mark today and was sent off the 7/4 favourite under Chris Hayes.
Settled in mid-division, the Awtaad three-year-old came with her challenge on the outer from the two furlong pole and was ridden to the front with a furlong left to race, keeping on well from there to score by a-length-and-three parts. Give Her A Squeeze (5/2 from 6s early) filled the runner-up spot under Billy Lee for Willie McCreery, while Summit Star (3/1) was another two-and-three parts of a length back in third.
"I was getting worried because Eddie Lynam had a good start to the day (at Dundalk) and I had a choice of where to go so thankfully she has done that," Hayes revealed.
"It was probably me being clever running her on her first start over six (furlongs) and I thought it would be a bit of work but it worked out a better race. We stepped her up gradually and I didn't think I'd be coming to Clonmel in September for a maiden at the start of the year.
"There's a fillies' handicap in Punchestown on the 14th, or else Bellewstown so we'll see how she comes out of it and what the handicapper does. Ultimately I'd say we only have her until the end of the year so we'll try and get as much as we can and if we can nick black-type it would be great."
STEWARDS REPORT
D. McMonagle, rider of Dirty Stopout (GB) trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount did not handle the track.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
