Shamar back to form at 25/1

After his 7/1 success on Eye Of The Tiger in the finale at Dundalk yesterday, Ross Coakley followed up on 25/1 shot Shamar in the Galway Apprentice Handicap.

The victorious Dr Fong gelding now a five time scorer - two in France, and two when under the care of Willie Mullins - bounced back to something approaching his best, defying top-weight by a convincing length and three parts from Brokpondo.

Shamar is now owned and trained in County Armagh by Keith Watson, and his son Marshall said: "He has always shown us a lot of ability.

"I'm delighted because he has just been disappointing, and I thought at the Curragh that he got a bad ride.

"He has been knocking on the door and I'd say it will be bigger handicaps for him from now on, maybe something like the November Handicap later on in the season.

"The ability is in him, he was placed in a Grade 3 over hurdles, so there is plenty of ability there, but he is just a bit of a head case.

"We have had him since the spring, around February time. That's his eighth run for us now and he has always been there or thereabouts.

"I thought he should have been placed the last day, and before that he was third to Order Of St George who is favourite for the St Leger.

"That was good enough form to be winning a handicap at Galway. The hill really suited him, he stayed on well."

The Turf Club Veterinary Officer examined One Cool Poet trained by A.L.T.Moore, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.

(DM & EM)