Weld doubles up as Shehreen pounces late Shehreen found plenty late on to get up close home and record a double for Dermot Weld at Galway this afternoon. Like Weld's early winner Bashiyr this daughter of Iffraaj also carried the colours of the Aga Khan and showed a very willing attitude to get the job done. The front-running Soineanta was a well-backed evens favourite in the seven furlong contest. Jim Bolger's charge had the advantage turning for home and looked set for victory passing the furlong pole. Oisin Orr got a great tune from Shehreen in the closing stages, however, and the easy to back 6/5 shot (1/2 this morning) put her head in front in the last strides for a head victory. The winner had been third on her debut at Cork at the start of the month. She had Soineanta behind in eighth that day but her rival had since finished a promising fourth at Listowel. "It was a good strong ride from Oisin and she probably found the ground more testing than ideal for her,” said Weld. "I knew Jim's filly was fit and well and was a good filly and our best chance was if we could beat her for a little pace going to the line and that was the plan. Having one go going to the line was the plan. "I have a lot of respect for the second filly as it was a decent maiden in Listowel; mine (winner Shekhem) is a nice horse and was very fit and well and the Ballydoyle horse (runner-up Louisiana) was well fancied so I knew Soineanta would be tough to beat today. "She will be better on better ground and has more pace than she showed today, she didn't show that pace this evening. "She'll run in a Listed race next." (Quotes by Tom Weekes)
