Platinum Warrior and Shane Foley (seen winning at the Curragh)© Photo Healy Racing
Two former Irish-trained runners were successful in America on Saturday as Platinum Warrior and True Valour won at Santa Anita.
Platinum Warrior always threatened to be a very good horse for Mick Halford, winning the Gallinule Stakes at three.
Now with John Sadler but still owned by Zhang Yuesheng, Shane Foley resumed his partnership with the Galileo colt and he won the Grade Two San Marcos Stakes by three quarters of a length.
“It was well worth the travel from Ireland for this win,” said Foley on www.bloodhorse.com.
“I let him go—let him dictate it. I knew his speed was his main attribute.
“Being on the front end turning into the straight was a bit daunting, but I just had to play him at his strengths, and I knew if we turned it into a sprint, he’d sprint away.”
Sadler intimated Dubai could be on the agenda for the winner.
True Valour was a Group Three winner for Johnny Murtagh and is now with Simon Callaghan.
He won the Grade Three Thunder Road Stakes under a clever ride from British-based pilot Andrea Atzeni.
“Obviously, I was keeping an eye on Flavien (Prat) on River Boyne—obviously the horse to beat,” said Atzeni.
“He picked up when I picked my stick up and was always good enough to win.”
