Goody Four Shoes delights Gibney after protracted battle Goody Four Shoes and Barrow Ranger had the Club Mixers Handicap Steeplechase to themselves from a long way out in Down Royal and it was the former who came out best after a sustained battle. A staying test of an extended three-miles-two-furlongs was on offer and both horses gave plenty in pursuit of honours. Barrow Ranger held a narrow advantage between the final two fences, but Good Four Shoes kept finding for Harry Sexton on the run-in and delivered by a neck at 9/2 from the 7/2 runner-up. Tom Gibney said: "He was great. "We thought the last day here (fell four out) we were definitely going to be there or thereabouts. He hadn't moved and he was well in it. We were very disappointed because we felt like we were going to be contenders. "It was great that this race was coming up a few weeks later, there was a lovely time between the two to let him recover and come back and see whether we were right or wrong. We have been vindicated. "It was a terrific battle and he's never had to do that before. He's had very little racing, he's a relatively inexperienced horse for his age. He's a big horse who took a lot of time and it is brilliant." When asked if he could see him over 3m4f or 3m5f, he replied: "Oh definitely, he didn't look like he was stopping there anyway. For sure (training him with a view to those trips). "Frank (Daly, owner) is good at breeding these stayers. Frank bred our first National winner (Lion Na Bearnai) and it is great to have one that can do the job again for Frank. We have been associated together for a long time. "The ground was good enough out there - I didn't know whether he would enjoy that good ground or not, but he looked like he loved it."
