David O’Meara revealed that he was keen on a tilt at next month’s Ebor Handicap at York with the in-form Get Shirty (10-1), who continued his fine season with a stellar victory in the £150,000 bet365 Old Newton Cup Handicap at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon (2nd July).
The six year old has been a revelation for his yard so far this term and last month’s victory in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot meant that he arrived here having won three of his four starts so far this term.
Jockey Danny Tudhope rode him with plenty of confidence and the pair soon put matters to bed and they never looked like being reeled in after striking the front a furlong and a half out, bursting clear for a length and a half success.
O’Meara hinted that it could be the Ebor Handicap next for his charge. The said: north Yorkshire-based handler said: “He’s a tough horse and he’s had a wonderful season - he’s only been beaten once at Ripon when it turned into a bit of a sprint over two miles. The horse that beat him ran well in the Chester Cup so there was no shame in being beaten there and apart from that my God, all he’s done is turn up and keep doing it.
“He’s been brilliant. He was there a long time and if you spoke to Danny he’d probably say he was there too long but he’s just so tough. He had very good form in France and just lost his way a bit. I gave him a few runs last year and it just didn’t kick in at all.
“He trains well and is out in the field a lot and sometimes it’s nothing in particular that you do, horses just come back into themselves because they do and there’s no real science to it. The Ebor would be a great race for him and then we’ll see where we end up after that. It would be an amazing race to win!”
Meanwhile, Odhran Akela was representing his father and owner Mark Akela and he added: “It’s amazing, especially off the back of Ascot, I cannot put it into words. I was nearly reduced to tears in the stands, it’s very special.
“My dad will be gutted not to be here, I’ve not spoken to him yet but he’s over in Ireland. I didn’t get to go to Ascot so that gets one up on him anyways! My dad’s very into it and it’s for moments like this that he does it.”
