Sherkali

Sherkali put up a nice performance to win the first division of the 1m maiden from his wide draw. Chris Hayes had the Siyouni colt out of the gate fairly sharpish and into a nice position, a clear sixth behind the leading group of five and just three off the inside rail as they left the back straight. He travelled well into the home straight just behind the leaders and, when his rider took him towards the outside and asked him to pick up, he picked up nicely. California Daddy had kicked for home at that point from the front, but Dermot Weld’s horse wore him down as they climbed through the final furlong. The pair of them came away from their rivals, but Sherkali proved to be just the stronger.

It was a nice performance from HH The Aga Khan’s horse, to beat a horse of Ger Lyons’ who brought good juvenile form from last year into the race. Sherkali himself raced just once at two, he shaped nicely in finishing third in a Leopardstown maiden in October, and he built on that run nicely here. This was just his second run, his first of the season, and he was weak enough in the pre-race market, so it is legitimate to expect that he will improve for this. He will be of interest wherever he goes next.

Navan, 30^th March 2019