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| Cheltenham Festival 2009 |
Shinrock Paddy Favourite for Weatherbys Champion Bumper
16/11/08
Shinrock Paddy, a four-year-old son of Deploy, became Cashmans’ favourite for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival after scoring easily in the closing race at The Open.
Ridden by his owner, Barry Connell, Shinrock Paddy scooted home eight lengths clear of his nearest rival in the Cheltenham Business Club Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, becoming a second winner at the meeting for Irish trainer Paul Nolan. Cashmans installed Shinrock Paddy as 12-1 favourite from 50-1 for the Festival bumper.
Connell was riding the winner of this contest for the second time, having landed it in 2003 when riding The Posh Paddy. He also has another successful bumper horse, Frascati Park, in training with Lambourn-based Carl Llewellyn.
Nolan said of Shinrock Paddy: “I definitely won’t run him again until the Festival. I’ll give him a break and you’ll see him in March. This is the first horse I have trained for Barry, although we bought him another one recently.
“Myself and [bloodstock agent] Jerry Hogan bought this fella after he won a point-to-point for Colin Bowe. Colin told us, ‘this is a right little horse and he won’t make a whole lot of money’, so we bought him. He was lucky to win his point, because another horse was 10 lengths in front and fell at the last, but the ground was really heavy.
“He’s strengthened since then and he’s a lovely ride for Barry. They won together at Gowran Park and now they’ve won here.
“We’ve had two winners and a second at this meeting, so it’ll be a short trip home in the lorry.”
