Walk In The Park Gelding Bounces Back In Good Style

Shuffle The Deck (5g Walk In The Park – A Country Girl, by Flemensfirth) will be aimed at Fairyhouse or Punchestown after returning to winning ways in Thursday’s rated novice hurdle at Naas.

The winner of a four-year-old maiden on his sole start for Derek O’Connor, the JP McManus-owned gelding transferred to Ted Walsh and made a promising start over hurdles on his rules debut. He went on to win in good style next time out, before pulling up in a Grade 1 in January.

He dropped down to two miles on Thursday and raced in touch with the leaders for much of the way. Improving to dispute at the second last, he asserted by the last and kept on strongly to score by three lengths under Jody McGarvey. The front pair finished seven lengths clear of the third.

“That was nice,” said the winning trainer. “I was surprised to see him win over two, which is always a good sign. I was hoping to go to Fairyhouse or Punchestown and whether he’ll run there depends on the ground. It was just alright today, I wouldn’t have run him on anything quicker.

“He’s a big horse with a future in front of him, he’s a great leaper. He’s taking a bit of time to mature and hopefully he goes the right way. He won a point-to-point, and I’d say he’ll make a nice three-mile chaser.”

Bred by Mrs Noreen McManus, Shuffle The Deck is a full-brother to useful hurdler and chaser Verdant Place (Walk In The Park).