Idle Words was the dam of 12 foals, of which 11 raced with 8 winners, including three stakes-winners: Bernbrook (by Midstream), won AJC Doncaster Handicap etc., exported to US; Defame (by Delville Wood) dam of a stakes-winner; and Lysander (by Midstream), won City Tattersall's Cup.

[1] He started as a four-year-old, with 9 stone 1 pound (58 kg) in the AJC Campbelltown Handicap over 6 furlongs, which he won at long odds.

Next he met and defeated the great mare Flight at even weights in the Tattersalls NSW Tramway Handicap.

Despite the setback his jockey, Darby Munro took off after the field and failed only by half a head to catch the winner Blue Legend, and just past the post he was in front.

On his return to scale Munro was given a hostile reception for his ride in the race, it was later disclosed that the starter had failed to see that Shannon was not facing up.

[1] In 1948 new owner Neil McCarthy of California, entrusted Shannon's race conditioning to trainer William Molter.

At Golden Gate Fields on 17 October 1948, Shannon equalled the world record of 1:473⁄5 for the nine furlongs (1,800 metres) in winning the Forty Niner Handicap Stakes, then just one week later at the same track equalled the world record of 1:594⁄5 for a mile and a quarter (2,000 metres) while capturing the Golden Gate Handicap.

[1] Shannon was named the 1948 American Champion Older Male Horse in a poll conducted by Turf and Sports Digest magazine.

[7] The equivalent award in rival Daily Racing Form poll was "Champion Handicap Horse" and included three-year-olds: it was won by Citation.