It was a very exciting rendition of the GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday, 25th June. Five top quality two year olds went to post for the 171st running of the race with Shartash getting the better of the 5-6 favourite Blackbeard.
Blackbeard was a convincing winner of both the GAIN First Flier and GAIN Marble Hill races earlier in the season and was deemed a clear favourite on the morning of the race.
The Johnny Murtagh trained Shartash, who went off at 9-1 fought hard under the instruction of Ben Coen to cross the line beating out the favourite by a short head to be crowned this year’s winner of the race.
Owned and bred by His Highness the Aga Khan, Shartash is by Invincible Spirit out of a Dubawi Mare. The two year old colt was 3rd on his debut at The Curragh in April and improved on this to win his next outing in Naas prior to moving up to the Group 2 contest for the GAIN Railway Stakes.
As part of winning the race, Shartash is now entitled to a free entry into the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, which will take place on Saturday, 6th August.
