Leigh Roche gets a kiss from South Australia Rose Sarah Harrington after he partnered Shalaman to victory© Photo Healy Racing
Shalaman ran out an easy winner of the Bet Online At thetote.com Handicap, scoring on his first start for Matthew Smith.
The five-year-old son of Oratorio, who was formerly trained by Denis Hogan, won over the course and distance last July (awarded race in Stewards room) and he was well-backed to repeat the feat this evening.
Available at 12/1 this morning he opened on-course at just 8’s, touching 9’s before going off a 7/1 chance.
Settled towards the rear he made smooth progress on the outer in the straight and cruised into contention from two furlongs out.
He hit the front just inside the final furlong and he was pushed out from there to score easily by a length and a half. Solar Focus finished second at 10/1 under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger while Louisville Lip kept on well to take third at 33/1 under Fran Berry for Pat Flynn. Ridestan who was sent off the 13/8 favourite (from 2/1 on-course) under Conor Hoban for Denis Hogan, hit the front over two furlongs out but he couldn’t keep up the gallop and finished fifth.
Matthew Smith said afterwards: "He did it well. I don’t have him that long so I didn’t know what to expect.
"We will speak with his owner and we will see where he will go but he is entered in the Curragh on Saturday and if he is alright he will go there."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
