Consistent Shoda gets off the mark over hurdles The consistent Shoda (4/5) trained by Joseph O'Brien, was a deserved winner of the WTW Willis Mares Maiden Hurdle for jockey JJ Slevin. Rider Slevin was happy to track the pace throughout and, when delivering Shoda to the front, the five-year-old daughter of Nathaniel responded well to gain victory by four and a half lengths. Speaking after the race, rider JJ Slevin said: "She did it really well and it is great that she won. "She has won on the Flat and has a bit of ability - seven-runner mares' maiden, she was probably entitled to go and do it. Whenever it comes together for her, she's probably a decent mare. "It is lovely ground, slow side of good and they got a bit of rain up here and they watered it well, so it is lovely. "I think 2m or 2m1f is ideal for her. It is nice to see her go around places like that; she handled that well, so she will have options." (Quotes from Michael Graham)
