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Phillips & Donnelly strike again at Fairyhouse

Share A Secret & Gary Phillips hold off all challengers as they approach the lineShare A Secret & Gary Phillips hold off all challengers as they approach the line
© Photo Healy Racing

Gary Phillips and Garvan Donnelly were on the mark at the last Fairyhouse meeting just under two weeks ago and they were again successful at the Co Meath venue this evening, scoring with Share A Secret in the Special Group Rates At Fairyhouse 3yo Handicap.

The daughter of Sakhee’s Secret finished a close up fourth on her handicap debut at Dundalk in April, disappointing at Gowran on her next start before finishing third again on the all-weather just last month (Jackie Ellis was second on that occasion).

Back on turf this evening she was well-backed on-course from 8’s into her starting price of 6/1.

Drawn on the rail in stall one she was settled behind the leaders and raced mainly in fifth.

She came under pressure over two furlongs out, improving into second with a furlong left to race, hitting the front inside the final 50 yards before going on to score by a neck at the line. Local Flier (7/1), who attempted to make all, finished a gallant second under Colin Keane for Tom McCourt while Singapore Secret (7/1), who finished strongly, was just a short head back in third under Leigh Roche for Dermot McLoughlin. Jackie Ellis was sent off the 3/1 favourite, under Joseph O’Brien for Paul Flynn, but she could only manage a disappointing seventh after being prominent for much of the contest.

Garvan Donnelly said afterwards: “I knew when the ground picked up that she would like it.

"She has been running well around Dundalk and she will continue to mix it (between the turf and all-weather).

"She will get further as all she does is stay.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
6/1
Tote €7.60 €2.60
2nd
nk
7/1
€2.00
3rd
shd
7/1
€2.90
4th
nk
11/2
bf
nk
10/3Fav
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.