STAR S.H.I.E.L.D. is a Marvel!
Sun 06 Sep 2020
Our 47th Winner of the year: STAR SHIELD, trained by David O'Meara and ridden by Danny Tudhope: The Betfair Exchange Free Bet Streak Handicap Handicap over 1 mile at Haydock.
Yesterday, he had a poor draw of 14 and Danny had to take his medicine and drop in, getting shuffled to the back, which looked an impossible position. He is a horse who likes to come through the pack, but on so many occasions he has been stopped or the gap has closed on him, so we held our breath! At the 3 pole, he was still travelling well as others began to come off the bridle and we hoped that he might get some luck to come through the field of 16. He crept through in stealth mode, as even the commentator hadn't spotted him moving through! Suddenly he got to the front of the pack and got into a battle in the final 1/2 furlong and Danny drove him to hit the line and cause a photo and yes he had got there - by a nose!
It's always special to have weekend winners when plenty of owners can attend and we had a full compliment at Haydock yesterday and they tell us that they were all looked after very well - thank you to the team at Haydock! We have had four Saturday winners in the last month, so not bad for all their owners!
Watch the full race replay here: https://www.racingtv.com/videos/watch/horse_racing_replays/290756-betfair-exchange-free-bet-streak-handicap-4
See the official photos here: https://www.grossick.co.uk/p/80532khg/C373249604/x7-star-shield
Mike, his syndicate manager says "He really is a horse that can be described as a model of consistency. Since we purchased him at the 2018 Tattersalls Horses-In-Training sale (for 27,000) he has run 20 times for us, winning three times and being in the winners enclosure and earning prize money 13 times. His career earnings have now passed £40k and we thank David and team. The handicapper has not relented throughout his recent runs and I have kept him going trying to put him in the right races and we're all thrilled that he has come out and put in a career best Timeform performance of 93 there at Haydock, he kept finding for Danny right to the line. Delighted for the horse and all of his owners."