Dawn Shadow© Photo Healy Racing
Dawn Shadow came from last to first when scoring what looked an unlikely win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Beginners Chase at Galway today, scoring for trainer Dot Love and jockey Mark Walsh.
The daughter of King's Theatre was held up in rear but didn't appeared to travel at any stage and became detached from her four rivals with five fences to jump. Dawn Shadow was still last when making a slight mistake at the second last fence but picked up well on the run-in to eventually move past leader Forge Meadow inside the final furlong before eventually proving two and a half lengths too strong for runner-up Minnies Secret
Dawn Shadow hit 300 in-running on Betfair and following the race Dot Love's assistant CiaranMurphy said “that was a relief; Mark (Walsh) said they went an unreal gallop and it rode like a Graded race and he said she was off her feet from the very start. But she jumped well and stuck at it and once she got into the dip he felt her coming back on the bridle and once she was upsides one, she was never in doubt.
“It was lovely to have a previous run coming here and we're hoping she'll be a graded mare over fences. She takes plenty of work so she'll improve during the season. We don't train her hard but she'll run plenty during the year and the soft ground won't be a problem to her.
“She'll get further and Mark said 'don't be in any fear of stepping her up. It is exciting to have her and while she wasn't impressive she still got the job done.
“She'll go to Graded company now and we'll try and stick to mares' races but she'll get allowances in those small field Graded races and could run against the geldings in some of those.”
