'Smasher' Shanroe delivers for Thornton

Shanroe certainly knows where the winning post is as he brought up his sixth career victory in the concluding handicap over a mile and six in Killarney.

Robbie Colgan ’s mount raced fourth and closed travelling well in the straight.

He came through to lead a furlong and a half down and asserted in the final 100 yards.

The 15/2 shot won by two and three quarter lengths from The Jam Man who was backed down to 10/1. Paso Doble the 5/2 favourite, was a further length and three quarters away in third.

Trainer Karl Thornton said: "The ground was probably too quick for him at Leopardstown and he needed three runs to run in the November Handicap and that's where he'll go now; he also probably needed the six or seven pounds (for winning today) to get into it.

"He'll go back over hurdles as well and he'll go on winter ground but maybe not on extremes. He is still learning his trade and he beat seasoned handicappers today.

"He is a smasher and it just makes no sense to me that he won three bumpers and I never got a phone call for him. You couldn't fault the horse at all and he's a nice one to have."

Shanroe is now six from 13 comprising three bumpers, a hurdle and two on the Flat.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes