Group 3 Winner Continues Starspangledbanner’s Fine Run

Shandy (3f Starspangledbanner – Sandtail, by Verglas) became Starspangledbanner’s second Group winner in as many days when landing Sunday’s feature at Naas, the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes.

A smart maiden winner as a juvenile, the Fozzy Stack-trained filly had run well on both her starts as a three-year-old, but was drawn wide on Sunday. Andrew Slattery made the bold decision to race on the stands’ side with just one other, from a field of 11, and it paid off, as they led by a head on the line. The short-priced favourite was forced to settled for runners-up honours, while previous Listed winner Pandora’s Gift (Churchill) took third.

Speaking after the race, the winning trainer said, “She ran well in the Listed race here the last day and won the race on her side. We were drawn 11 and 12 and the middle is the worse place to be, so we took a chance and it worked out. The ease in the ground helped and it all came together today.”

Bred by Airlie Stud, Shandy is owned by Mrs MV Magnier, Mrs Paul Shanahan and TV Magnier.