Shaool steps up in class to easily win Trigo Stakes A handicap winner at the Curragh on Champions Weekend, the Johnny Murtagh trained Shaool made a smooth transition into graded company when easily winning the Listed Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown. Sent off a well backed 6/4f (from 13/2), the four-year-old was held up towards rear in the early stages by Ben Coen. With only two horses behind her entering the home straight, the daughter of Belardo got a dream run up the inside rail to head Certain Lad and Acapulco Bay over a furlong out. Stretching clear inside the final furlong, Shaool won impressively by six lengths from the latter. “I’d love to know where this improvement has come from, Ben says the ground is key to her,” said Murtagh. “She showed it here one night when Yudish rode her, on soft ground she really comes strong. “She had been training really well, all the horses are going well. “I thought she’d be very competitive here today but that was a very good performance. “I was a bit worried where he was early on but he got a beautiful gap up the inside and she quickened up really well. “I’m delighted, they are a great bunch of people. Vince O’Driscoll is after travelling over from America and the pressure is always on when he travels! “I don’t think there is anything left for her, she’s been busy. I thought today would tell us if she’d come back next year. She should, she’d going out on a high now. “She’s a remarkable filly. She’s tough and hardy and works well every day. It was a brilliant performance.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
