Some advice given to Alan Bailey many years ago paid off for the veteran Gold Coast trainer when Shadows `n’ Stars scored a hard-fought win at Doomben.
Shadow `n’ Stars continued jockey Matthew Palmer’s good recent form when the four-year-old fought back strongly to down Racing Heart by a short head in Saturday’s Sky Racing No 1 In Racing Plate (2100m).
Bailey paid $110,000 for the daughter of Dane Shadow at the Magic Millions yearling sales and held her in high esteem early in her career.
However, Shadows `n’ Stars struggled with some niggling leg issues which almost forced Bailey to sell her.
“She hasn’t done much as a sprinter,” Bailey said.
“I will always remember what I was told a long time ago and that’s never sell a horse until you’ve tried them over ground.
“She looked to have a bit of a future early on in her career but she had some minor issues with stress fractures.
“With time and maturity she’s come right.
“She was very strong on the line today and you normally find things start to fall into line once they overcame their problems.
“There’s nothing great for her on the horizon and we’ll just find another one of these types of races.”
Palmer gave Bailey a glowing report after Shadows `n’ Stars recorded her fifth win from 20 starts.
“It was a gutsy effort,” Palmer said.
“She looked beaten four times in the straight but she kept on fighting.”
Trainer Rob Heathcote believed Racing Heart was not suited when the race developed into a sit-and-sprint affair.
“They came home in around 36 seconds and the way the race turned into a sit-and-sprint it didn’t suit him,” Heathcote said.
“I’ll find another race for him and then he’ll probably go for a break.”
  AAP TURF
