Shoot The Blues impresses with debut success

Shoot The Blues looked a potentially exciting sort when coming from last to first to win the Limerick Post Newspaper INH Flat Race at Limerick.

Trained by Barry Connell, the five-year-old Blue Bresil gelding collared favourite Polly's Fortune inside the final furlong and kept on well as the latter battled back close home.

A half-brother to a dual hurdles winner, Shoot The Blues showed a really nice turn of foot to quicken clear before running green.

He is entitled to come on plenty for this initial experience and could be a horse with a bright future.

Winning trainer Barry Connell said; "that was a pleasant surprise. He was fit enough to finish in the first three but has never been away anywhere and we haven't done a bit of work yet. He has done a couple of half-speeds but is a quality horse and is by a very good sire in Blue Bresil.

"He was ready for a run today and I said to John (Gleeson) to drop him out and let him pass horses. The way he hit the line you'd say he will end up being a staying horse.

"We bought him out of the Landrover sale as a three year old, he is five now and we gave him two years as he is a big horse and we gave him time to grow into himself.

"I'm not a huge fan of winners' bumpers are they are hard on horses but I'm not sure what to do with this lad as I think he'll improve. I'm don't know what quality the race was but it was a good performance and the first two pulled well clear."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes