Willie Mullins trained Sirius to win the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap, the premier event of day one of the 2024 Galway Races.
The champion National Hunt conditioner training the winner of a major race at an Irish racing festival was no surprise, but what was a shock was the 50/1 price of the winner in the hands of English amateur rider David Dunsdon.
Right at the bottom of the handicap, carrying 10-13, Dunsdon came late and wide on the eventual winner in the colours of Coldunell Limited to take victory in the opening day feature by three and a half lengths.
Another big-priced runner, Baltic Bird (25/1), ridden by County Cork jockey Johnny Barry for owner/trainer Bill Durkan. Spasiba (8/1), another Closutton runner, this one the mount of Jody Townend was third one and a half lengths behind the runner-up.
Eleven-year-old Lord Erskine was fourth for trainer Harry Rogers at 33/1 another one and three-quarters of a length back in fourth place.
Lot Of Joy (4/1f), another Willie Mullins-trained runner, ridden by his son, Patrick, eventually finished in 9th place.
Danny Mullins and Richard O’Brien claim 2024 Festival opener
The well-supported Feud (16/5) was an easy winner of the opening The Galmont Hotel and The Galway Bay Hotel Novice Hurdle.
Ridden by Danny Mullins for Richard O’Brien, the winner was well placed throughout the 2 miles 130 yards contest, before putting three and a half lengths between himself and the runner-up Mordor (15/2), the mount of Sam Ewing for the Gordon Elliott stable. Pigeon House (4/1), who was close to the front of the field throughout crossed the finishing line in third place, a further six and a half lengths behind.
The race favourite, the French-bred Willie Mullins-trained Sysko (9/4f) was never a threat, and finished in fourth place on his Irish debut.
County Meath-trained double on day one
Father and son Matthew and Kevin Smith teamed up to easily win the Easyfix Handicap Hurdle over 2 miles 130 yards.
The Co Meath outfit claimed the win Son Of Hypnos (16/1) who was a facile 10-length winner over Clonburg Bridge (16/1), with Vischio (10/1) and Harley Street (17/2) taking third and fourth places respectively.
Smith’s fellow Co Meath-based conditioner Jack Davison also returned to the winner’s enclosure, with Artful Approach (7/1), in The Clayton Hotel Galway Handicap.
In the hands of five-pound claimer James Ryan, the chestnut gelded son of Mehmas came on the outside of the field in the dying stages of the 7-furlong 50-80 Handicap, to take the win by one and a half lengths, with a short-head separating the runner-up and third, Cuban Confusion (10/1) and Louiescall (10/1). The 100/30 race favourite, Avatar Jet, crossed the line back in 12th place.
Rock Of Cashel loses maiden tag
Rock Of Cashel (3/1), eighth on debut at The Curragh last month, broke quickly at Ballybrit today, and was at the head of the field for the duration of the seven furlongs race.
When Wayne Lordan asked the son of Wootton Bassett to take his race, the two-year-old colt powered up the Galway hill and take a two and a quarter length win from another 3/1 shot Admiral Churchill under Billy Lee for the Paddy Twomey stable, with Joseph O’Brien’s Viking Invasion (7/1) next home, a further length behind.
The Dermot Weld-handled favourite Truth Be Told (13/8) finished fourth, another length and a half back.
Tony Mullins and Rory Cleary teamed up for success in The Grá Chocolates Handicap over 1 mile 4 furlongs and 84 yards at 7.45pm.
