VISITING Irish rider Pat Shanahan gets his chance to step right into the Taipa limelight when he partners My Brother in the $300,000 STDM Cup in Macau today.
Shanahan, who is riding in Macau on a three-month winter contract, takes over from Philip Waldron on the Keith Stone-trained galloper and it could be a winning partnership.
My Brother looked in need of more ground when finishing on fairly over 1,200 metres last time and there is no doubt that the horse has class - as he showed late last season and in his first run this time in.
It is an important race on the Macau Jockey club (MJC) calendar and Stone is hopeful.
He said: ''I tend to think he will be that bit better over the 1,400 metres. He maybe flattered a bit when he came home very strongly for second over 1,000 metres and we all thought it would be just right for him over 1,200 metres.
''But he could not quite get into the race and I'm hoping for better things tomorrow,'' said Stone.
Shanahan has had few real chances since coming to Macau over a month ago and has one winner on the board to date.
