Shelley Banks is clear under Leigh Roche © Photo Healy Racing
Shelley Banks (8/1, from 11s on the show) was a decisive three length winner of the Sky Bet Junefest Handicap in the hands of Leigh Roche.
With two non-runners, just seven lined up in the end for this valuable 3-year-olds only event and there was ablistering pace on early set by Rosie Bassett and Herb Of Grace
Roche wisely bided his time and brought his filly through to challenge over a furlong from home.
The daughter of soft-ground influence Fast Company, and out of a Pivotal mare to boot, soon led and saw her race out well to beat topweight Sister Rosetta (9/2) with the 11/4 favourite Notoriously Risky never quite getting on terms in third.
Owned by the West Limerick Racing Syndicate, the winner had been runner-up three times in maidens and was taken out of a maiden at Tipperary last night due to drying ground.
She made light of being 2lbs out of the handicap here, being still in receipt of 18lbs from the runner-up.
Winning trainer Eamonn O'Connell said: “I’d say the tongue tie helped her a lot today — it’s her first time with it.
“She just wasn’t finishing her races the last few times so we said we’d stick on a tongue tie and see how it went. He dropped her in a bit today which probably helped her as well
“I’ve nothing really picked out but she’s got a good pot there so that should keep them all happy for a while.
“She’s small but she’s tough. She’s honest which is the main thing.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
