Shellrunforbrings holds on to land first at Naas The Mick Winters-trained Shellrunforbriggs just held on close home to win the opening Mongey Communications Novice Handicap Chase at Naas. Always to the fore under Brian Hayes, the Going Stone Mad Syndicate-owned 15/8f headed longtime leader Latopix at the penultimate fence. Jumping the last in front, the five-year-old was strongly pressed by both Moylussa and Takenasred on the stiff uphill climb. Flashing by the line upsides the latter, it took the judge a while to call Shellrunforbriggs the winner by a nose. “She travelled and the jockey was at the pin of his collar keeping her there and relaxing her,” said Winters. “I’d say we’ll go back in trip for a while. “Her jumping is something else. The second run can often catch you out in racing. The first day, she was only coming to herself. I said the jumping would save her if anything. “We’ve a great bunch of jockeys out there, Brian Hayes, Eoin Walsh, Darragh O’Keeffe and we get great help from all the local trainers. “Jumping is the name of the game for her. We’ll be going back in trip because she needs to go down to a fence and roll away.” When asked if he thought she was up at the line, he added:- “There was a stride that I thought she wasn’t. She’d have been hard done if she didn’t win with the way she was jumping. She made hard work of it, but that’s the way she is. “You probably haven’t seen half of that mare yet. Over hurdles the last day, she fiddled them and messed around a bit. “When I was up in the stands I said, 'I forgot to say to Brian don’t be on the back of a horse going down to the first fence, because you’ll end up on them!’ “The good ones train themselves and you’ve only to mind them.” (Quotes by Gary Carson).
