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John O'Riordan

John O'Riordan

I Am Shadow follows tried and tested Sligo route

Thu 10th Aug 2023, 20:29

Winning connections of I Am Shadow after the Ciaran Murphy trained mare won bumper. Winning connections of I Am Shadow after the Ciaran Murphy trained mare won bumper.
© Photo Healy Racing

Harry Swan adopted similar tactics to those that prevailed on earlier winners when taking the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares(Pro/Am) INH Race at Sligo.

Although in a departure from previous winners on the night, Swan held the Ciaran Murphy trained five-year-old up in the early stages of the race. He then followed a tried and tested route in making ground on the outside of the field before entering the straight then kicking on early.

Those tactics had worked a treat on both Golden Sandbanks and Emily In Paris in earlier races so it was to the jockeys credit that he took a similar approach.

Leading from the turn for home, the daughter of Getaway kept on strongly inside the last furlong to hold the late run of Adela Icon

Ciaran Murphy said: "The horses are in great form. We made no secret that it would be Galway time before our better horses started to come out and that's the way it worked out.

"This is a lovely mare from a great family with a very loyal and patient owner and I'm just delighted she's went and won a bumper. She had plenty of experience and she showed that today. There's a few more in her, I'd say, and we're looking forward to her. She'll go over hurdles at some stage and she'll probably have a go on the Flat as well."

Additional reporting by Mark Nunan.

About John O'Riordan
John has worked for the Press Association since 2022. He also writes a weekly column for The Irish Field and is a regular contributor to the Irish Racing Yearbook. He has previously written for the Racing Post, Irish Examiner and Irish Daily Mirror. He has been involved in racing for over three decades; having experience as a syndicate member, sole owner and breeder.