Shanghai Star gets Linehan off mark

TEENAGER Eddie Linehan registered his first racecourse success when getting Shanghai Star home a short-head winner of the Sligo Claiming Race at Sligo last night.

Linehan (16), from Mallow, was having only his fourth ride in public on the five-year-old, trained by his boss Willie Mullins, which edged out Fleeting Moment, ridden by dual Irish Derby winner Seamus Heffernan. A star of the southern pony racing circuit in recent years, having ridden forty-five winners last year, Linehan tasted racecourse action for the first time when partnering Shanghai Star at Roscommon two weeks ago.

In front a furlong from home on Shanghai Star, Linehan had to keep his mount going, and balanced, to hold the late surge of Fleeting Moment. The winning trainer was not present but has high hopes for this rising star from County Cork.