Shalapour won’t take Derby route despite Trial success
John Oxx’s lightly-raced colt was always travelling well under Mick Kinane and cruised alongside the leader Dillons Dilemma inside the final two furlongs.
Once in front, the 5-4 shot quickened nicely clear from Dillons Dilemma to score by three lengths.
Aidan O’Brien’s Derby hopeful Yehudi was sent off the 11-10 favourite but never featured and finished last of the four runners.
Shalapour was cut to 25-1 from 50s by Ladbrokes, totesport and Paddy Power for Epsom glory.
He is as short as 16-1 with Coral but still available at 33s with William Hill.
However, despite the bookmakers being impressed, Oxx indicated the son of Darshaan would not be taking his chance at Epsom.
“He did a good job. Yehudi obviously didn’t run any race but the second looks useful.
“He will be stepped up in grade but almost certainly won’t go for any Derbys,” he said.
“Royal Ascot is an option later on. He’s a good, honest horse - he likes this type of ground or even faster and wants a staying trip.”
Meanwhile champion jockey Paul Carberry completed a well executed double at sun-drenched Navan yesterday but left the track with a suspected broken left collar bone following a crashing fall.
Carberry was successful on Dashing Home and Regal Son to the delight of punters.
But he hit the firm ground hard when his mount Hard Shoulder crashed in the Ardboyne Handicap Hurdle.
He was removed to hospital for X-rays but was fairly sure that his collar bone was broken.
Earlier Dashing Home justified odds-on favouritism when scoring a smooth success in the Newgate hurdle, one of the races decimated by withdrawals due to firm ground conditions.
Carberry produced Dashing Home to lead at the second last hurdle before scoring an easy win over long time leader Corrib Boy and trainer Noel Meade hopes to campaign the six year old through the summer.
“He likes that ground and was entitled to win. We’ll mix it again during the summer but I’m not sure about running him at Galway because he has never run well there.”
Carberry completed his double when Regal Son, trained in Holycross, Co Tipperary by Pat Doyle, followed up his recent win at Kilbeggan when scoring a smooth success in the Joe Norris Motors Handicap Hurdle.
Another jockey in the wars was leading claimer Tommy Ryan who was concussed following a crashing fall from Henry Hammond in the handicap chase. Ryan was badly shaken and was stood down for seven days.
Earlier Pat Verling’s long trip from Co Cork proved worth while when 6/4 favourite Where’s Eddie, ridden by Davy Russell, opened his hurdling account in a division of the Navan Golf Club maiden hurdle.
Verling intends campaigning his winner through the summer and will send him over fences later this season.
Dessie Hughes continued his steady stream of winners when Robert, ridden by Paddy Flood, won the second division of the maiden hurdle in good style from favourite Another Biffo.
Hughes believes that Robert, a firm ground horse, will develop into a smart summer chaser next year.
Jockey Andrew Leigh was in hot water with the stewards and picked up a seven-day careless riding ban following his handling of Pay It Forward, which was involved in an incident in the back straight in the three mile handicap hurdle.
Leigh’s boss Jessican Harrington was later on the mark with I’ll Call You Back obliged under Robert Power in the Headfort Beginners Chase but her two runners in the bumper had to settle for the minor placing behind Stringfellow, trained locally by Stephen Mahon and ridden by Keith Bowens.
