Shoebox proves sprint King for Coleman and Crosse

Shoebox King benefited from the addition of first-time blinkers to run out a comfortable winner of the Cusack Hotel Group Handicap at Navan.

The Kevin Coleman trained gelding, last seen when finishing fourth at Chester, travelled sweetly in the headgear before quickening to win his race at the furlong pole.

On an afternoon, when it seemed to pay to race handily from an outside draw, Nathan Crosse made the most of his high berth to get out and hold a prominent pitch.

In a race where very few of the runners really got involved, only the trio of Tai Sing Yeh Sosallycanwait and Nordic Passage managed to go with the eventual winner and throw down any form of late challenge.

Kevin Coleman, “He dropped to a good mark, we put blinkers on him today and he handles that soft ground.

“I brought him to England to get a bit of confidence because he was running against 23 or 24 horses and he just didn’t like it but he still couldn’t get his way in England.

“There were a number of non-runners today which made a difference and when he gets a bit of daylight he just keeps going.

“It’s hard in Ireland in those lower grades as there are a lot of horses with not much between them. I think he’s genuine enough.

“We’ll probably put him in the August Sale now. I think he’s done his job here and he’d be a good horse for England.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee