Niall McCullagh pushes out Sharestan to beat Defining Year in second© Photo Healy Racing
The feature race at the Curragh this afternoon, the Listed Coolmore Stud China Ireland Friendship Silver Stakes went to the John Oxx trained, Niall McCullagh ridden Sharestan
The 4yo son of Shamardal was sent off the 8/11 favourite for the contest over a mile and two and he didn’t let down his supporters.
The Mick Halford trained Defining Year (8/1) attempted to make all under Shane Foley with Sharestan settling in third.
He then moved into second with two furlongs left to race, before challenging and getting on terms with Defining Year from over a furlong out.
Sharestan kept on best from there to score by half a length holding off Defining Year who battle gamely all the way to the line.
Winning trainer John Oxx said afterwards: "It was testing and the ground was very gluey in the straight.
"That was probably the limit of his stamina and he is probably better coming back in trip. He was suited by the slow fractions and he managed to grind it out.
"When he ran against Famous Name he handled the good ground well, so he is versatile and he proved me wrong. He wouldn’t run over 1m 2f on testing ground again he wants good ground.
"Off his rating of 108 he was entitled to do that but he didn’t do anything spectacular. I’d like to think he is still capable of better but he has to prove it.
"We might try him in the Group 3, International Stakes over a mile and two or there is a Listed race over a mile for him as well."
Oxx went on to talk about Saddlers Rock, who returned to action at Leopardstown on Friday, saying: “He came out of the race fine, he only lost a couple of kilos and is in good shape. It was an ideally prep as it turned out despite the ground."
Donal Murphy & Gary Carson
