Get Shirty

Get Shirty did well to finish fifth in the Ebor, on ground that was probably faster than ideal for him. Dropped in and held up early on from his outside draw, 20 of 20, he travelled well through his race along the inside, and he made good progress around the rail as they entered the home straight. Staying towards the far side in the home straight, he came under a ride on the run to the two-furlong marker, and he stayed on well from there towards the far side, furthest from the stands rail. He was only beaten a total of just over three lengths by the duelling Trawlerman and Alfred Boucher, and he was only beaten by the bob of a head by John Leeper for fourth.

David O’Meara’s horse went into the race on an upward trajectory, he had won four of his previous five races, and this was another step forward, doing best, as he did, of the hold-up horses. He does handle fast ground, as he proved here and when he won the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot in June, but six of his seven wins have been on good or softer ground, and three of them have been on soft ground. Winner of the Old Newton Cup over a mile and a half on soft ground at Haydock in July, he kept on well enough here to suggest that he could be worth another try over two miles. He has options, and he will be of interest as the ground gets softer as we move into the autumn.
York, 20^th August 2022