Shelbe Could Give Quinn First Flat Win At Dundalk

Oak Vintage put up a poor performance earlier, and his price drifted alarmingly in the run up to the race. He ran accordingly, and the writing was on the wall a long way from home. Edmund also ran below form, even though he finished third, for the Hamiltons earlier on the card and it looks as though their string hasn't hit top form yet.

Tomorrow I fancy one at Dundalk, and Shelbe, a 3yo daughter of Big Bad Bob, is interesting upped in trip back at the track where her most promising run came. This filly has had just the 5 starts, and she was beaten a total of 51L on her 3 maiden runs. The handicapper still somehow handed her a mark of 58 and, after a three month break, she headed for Dundalk to make her handicap debut over a mile.

Billy Lee was on board and she was sent off a 33/1 shot. She fell out of the stalls, and Lee took a while to get her organised out the back. She was making ground up the inside after a couple of furlongs, but Lee thought it wise to take a couple of pulls and keep her out the back.

As they rounded the home turn he switched inside, travelling sweetly, then in the home straight he switched her again to the wide outside. Interestingly he never once showed her the whip, but she kept on nicely under hands and heels for 6th of 14, beaten 8.5L for the win but just over 2L off 3rd. She looked as though she had plenty left in the tank, and with a more vigorous ride she might have finished even closer.

She was given a month off after that run, and she reappeared at the start of October in an easy ground 8f handicap at the Curragh. This time she blew the start completely, and she resembled a bucking bronco more than a racehorse as she left the stalls. In the circumstances she did well to finish 5th beaten 16L, after losing at least that amount at the start.

She shaped as though the step up to 10f would suit on her last run at Dundalk, and there is no shortage of stamina on the dam side of her pedigree. Ger Lyons has had plenty of success with Big Bad Bob's progeny around here, so that is another positive.

Obviously the big worry with Shelbe is her woes at the stalls, and for that reason stakes should be kept to a minimum. However, she has definitely shown enough ability to win a race, and with her mark dropped 7lb since that handicap debut run I think she is capable of hitting the frame, granted a decent start from stall 8, at odds of 22/1.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 9.05 DUNDALK: SHELBE E/W 22/1