Shaws Bridge who was racing over timber for only the sixth time finally converted his better jumpers bumper form to the hurdles when taking advantage of a very lenient mark of 97, to come home far more comfortably than the four lengths margin suggests. Confidently ridden by Billy Garritty he was held up just off the pace, and even from Perth's notoriously bad angle, he was clearly going best as they approached the last. He began to idle on the run in, but when Billy reminded him to keep his mind on the job, his response was immediate. Providing the handicapper doesn't go mad, Shaws Bridge will have a favourites chance of going in again next time.
Congratulations to the connections, Graeme Newton.
This article first appeared on the website in March.
SHAWS BRIDGE. 20 May 2013. Kalanisi-Zaffarella. Owner-Graeme Newton.
Shaws Bridge is a welcome recent arrival to the yard, having already run for three other trainers in just nine appearances to date. Shaws Bridge is by Kalanisi, the dual Group 1 winner, and prolific sire of National Hunt horses. His dam achieved an official rating of 114, and was the winner of four of her 15 hurdle races for Lucinda Russell, between 2008-2010. Shaws Bridge has some very talented relations including the 137 rated Ravenhill Road, and the 153 rated Windsor Avenue.
Shaws Bridge started his career with the Stuart Crawford yard in Ireland, running green when finishing third on debut in a bumper at Down Royal, on Boxing Day 2018. He was next seen at Navan in March 2019, and appeared not to build on that debut by finishing sixth, beaten by 13 lengths.His last start for the Crawford yard was at Perth in April, finishing fourth of the seven, beaten by four and three quarter lengths.
After a summer break he reappeared at Downpatrick in September, and now in the care of Gordon Elliott, he finished third, but was 18 lengths behind the winner.His only other run for the Elliott yard was his hurdles debut at Sedgefield in December, where he finished fourth, beaten by 23 lengths, and recording a Racing Post Rating of 95.
Shaws Bridge was on the move again, and was next seen in a jumpers bumper at Newcastle in February 2020, and now in the care of Keith Dalgleish. In a first time hood, he hung left under pressure, but probably ran his best race yet, finishing third, beaten by one and three quarter lengths.His next run was his second attempt over hurdles, he finished an 18 lengths third, but would have been closer if not for sprawling at the last.He then made his handicap debut at Kelso, after his summer break in October, from a mark of 100, he was outpaced over the two miles from the second last, and came home fourth, beaten by 18 lengths.His most recent run was in a jumpers bumper at Newcastle in February 2021, when probably running his best race to date by finishing second, with his new stablemate Stormin Norman four and a half lengths behind him in fifth.
On both of his jumpers bumpers runs Shaws Bridge looks very well handicapped when returning to hurdles.
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