Michael Graham
Shake The Bucket just loves the sand!
Niall and Tom Madden with Shake The Bucket
© Photo Healy Racing
Shake The Bucket brought up his seventh career polytrack success when staying on stoutly in the mile and a half apprentice handicap at Dundalk.
He was the last to come off the bridle sweeping into the home straight. Indeed he moved nicely into contention with a furlong and a half to go and then took over at the front.
In the final furlong he was driven out by Tom Madden to beat the staying on Sea Of Blue (5/1) by half a length with Sea's Aria (4/1) in third.
The nine-year-old gelding won at 16/1 for Niall Madden, father of jockey Tom.
It's great to get him back in the winners enclosure. He's been some servant,” Niall Madden said.
“He'll come back here and we'll go jumping with him in the summer.”
Shake The Bucket hadn't won at Dundalk since November 2013.
The Stewards interviewed T.P. Madden, rider of Shake The Bucket, concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that T.P. Madden was in breach of R(10)(3)(g) by using his whip with his arm above shoulder height and consequently suspended him for two race days.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson