Shanahan plans Longchamp assault for My Special J’s

My Special J’s will head to Paris in the autumn following her Group Two success at the Curragh.

The Harlan’s Holiday filly landed the Debutante Stakes in a driving finish from previous Group Three scorer Harasiya, giving trainer Pat Shanahan a first win at Pattern level.

The Co Kilkenny handler now has a Group One engagement on his mind, with the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp on October 7 the intended target. He said: “The plan is the Marcel Boussac in France in the autumn. She’s something special, I was delighted at the weekend and she’s a dream of a horse – not beaten far in two starts and winner of a Group Two. The Boussac is over a mile – I don’t think she needs the step up in trip, but she won over seven furlongs on very heavy ground and was staying on so you’ve got to hope she would get it.”