What A Star!
Wed 14 Jun 2023
WINNER 48 OF 2023: STAR SHIELD, trained by David O'Meara and ridden by Danny Tudhope: 'The Best Dressed Handicap' over 1m at Wetherby.
Drawn on the outer of the 7-strong field, Danny settled him into fourth position. As the pace quickened in the home straight, he made good headway. A bit short of room coming into the final furlong, Danny had to switch him out to find a gap. He kept on well, moving into 2nd and stayed on gamely, to win on the line, by a short head.
Watch the full race replay here: https://www.racingtv.com/results/uk/448441-wetherby/13-Jun-2023/1955
Timeform rated it as an 84 performance, his best of the year, saying: "Seems well suited to small-field scenarios and came out on top for the second time in 3 starts; in touch, travelled fluently, headway over 2f out, shaken up under 2f out, led line."
Danny got off and said to owners 'he's been absolute star" and said in his Racing TV interview: "He's been ever so consistent and it seems the older he is getting, the better he is getting and he is certainly putting his best hoof forward at the moment!"
See the full official photo gallery, here: https://www.onlinepictureproof.com/officialphotographersonline/albums/Wetherby
Syndicate manager Mike says: "Well done to his owners on another win! It panned out as we had anticipated with two horses setting the pace and Danny got him in the perfect position, not too far back, not too far forward. In those circumstances, Star Shield is really game when it matters, and Danny landed his head in front on the post. We'll look for something similar for him off his new mark. I wholeheartedly agree with the Racing TV team who described him as 'a grand servant who still loves his racing' and to see him pass £100,000 of race prize money won is tremendous."