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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Patience pays off for Foley and Surrounding

Sat 22nd Apr 2017, 14:49

Surrounding approaches the winning post in LimerickSurrounding approaches the winning post in Limerick
© Photo Healy Racing

Shane Foley had to bide his time on Surrounding in the mile maiden at Limerick but once in the clear his mount put the race away well.

She chased the leaders on the inner and was angling for a run in fifth at the furlong pole.

The gap came in the final 100 yards and she burst between horses to land the spoils by three parts of a length at 13/2. Golden Dandy ran a cracker to be second at 66/1, a nose in front of 8/15 favourite Aasheq

Shane Foley said: "She had a lovely run the first day in Dundalk. Again here today I was trapped down the inside and we were going quite slow. I had Pat Smullen (on Aasheq) in front of me and I knew if he got a run I was going to land there at some stage. Thankfully it opened up and she has won quite impressively in the end, she has picked up well.

"She's very green especially for one of ours and she's quite an active filly at home so we wouldn't be galloping her that much. She'll learn at the track as she goes along. That's a lovely stepping stone from Dundalk. Hopefully she'll progress into a nice little handicapper throughout the season."

Trainer Michael Halford added: "She did well and he (Shane Foley) had to sit and suffer and wait for gaps to open. She came on nicely from her first run and is a lovely big filly. She took plenty of time and we're lucky to have such patient owners - they gave us the time with her and their patience has paid off.

"She's a half-sister to Rummaging who was a good servant for us and hopefully she'll do the same - we'll see what rating she receives now and go handicapping."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes

1st
13/2
Tote €6.60 €2.10
2nd
0.75L
66/1
€11.50
3rd
nose
8/15Fav
€1.02
4th
1.25L
20/1
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.