Curragh target for Oxx pair John Oxx is eyeing Curragh compensation for Sharestan and Akeed Wafi after the pair both ran fine races in defeat at Leopardstown last weekend. The lightly raced Sharestan was a hugely impressive winner of the Irish Lincolnshire on his seasonal reappearance and took another giant leap forward to finish a head second to Famous Name in the Heritage Stakes. The four-year-old was arguably unlucky not to have beaten that talented opponent and Oxx is now keen to step him up to 10 furlongs for the Mooresbridge Stakes on May 7. "He was perhaps a bit unlucky, but a lot of it was his own fault, he ran a bit green," said Oxx. "He was running on faster ground and going round a bend and he just got caught out. He ended up being not in a great position, but it was more down to inexperience than anything. "We were delighted by the way he finished the race once the penny dropped. He really picked up well and you'd like to think he'll improve and learn a bit from it. "The winner is obviously a tough campaigner and is always hard to beat at Leopardstown, so it was a good effort from our horse and the way he finished, you'd have to say he'd be worth trying at a mile and a quarter. "That's not to say he won't be effective at a mile when he gets a bit more experience, but we're going to try him over further first. The Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh will probably be his next target." Akeed Wafi was making his seasonal reappearance in the Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial and was not disgraced in finishing second to the impressive Furner's Green. He is likely to join Sharestan at the Curragh on the same day in the Listed Tetrarch Stakes. "We were pleased with his run. The winner is pretty smart and he had already had a run this season, so he was always going to be a tough competitor," Oxx added. "Our horse travelled well and just got a bit tired at the end of the race. He had a good blow afterwards and hopefully he'll improve. "We're probably going to drop him back to seven furlongs next for the Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh. "I'm not sure he necessarily needs to come back in trip, but that is the next obvious opportunity for him and it will tell us a lot more about him.
