Jockey Roche hits jackpot in Weld’s 636/1 four-timer
BALLYBRIT specialist Dermot Weld swept the boards with a sparkling 636/1 four-timer on the opening afternoon of the three-day Galway September meeting on Monday.
Not alone that, but Weld had the extra satisfaction of saddling the first two home in the featured €55,000 Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes when the Leigh Roche partnered Zhukova sprung a minor 7/1 surprise in edging out stablemate Almela.
Punters had sent off Pat Smullen’s mount the well backed evens favourite after romping home by 19 lengths on her debut run at the summer festival, but Almela was unable to withstand the persistent challenge of Zhukova which prevailed by a head.
Roche, who bagged three winners at Galway’s recent festival meeting, was thrilled by his second career listed success. “The three runs she had stood to her as that experience was vital in the end. She’s still a bit green, but travelled well.”
Weld, who was landing the Oyster Stakes for the first time since Mutakarrim prevailed in 2001, introduced a potentially high class newcomer in Ebediyin in the opening Donnelly’s of Barna Maiden as the 6/1 chance stayed on stoutly to grab Cole Porter near the line.
The first-time application of blinkers helped to get Simannka, the 9/4 favourite, off the mark in the Irish Stallion Farm Fillies Maiden, while the Weld yard completed a memorable four-timer with the consistent Alveena in the concluding Sean Cleary Memorial Maiden.
The rest of the card saw the progressive Johann Bach, trained by Patrick Harney, run out a comfortable 8/1 winner of the Galway Bay Golf Resort Handicap to supplement a recent success at Gowran Park.
In the James P. Cunningham Handicap, John Murphy’s Best Not Argue turned the tables on well-backed favourite Ibergmen from their summer festival clash in coming home a length clear from the always prominent Splashtop.
Top weight Shamar and Ross Coakley pulled off a 25/1 surprise in the Galway Apprentice Handicap as both the heavily supported pair, Ridestan and One Cool Poet, finished out of the places on the yielding ground in front of a small attendance.
The highlight of Tuesday’s card was the Ballybrit Novice Chase which saw the Jessica Harrington trained Rock The World display plenty of resolution in keeping the persistent challenge of main market rival, The Game Changer, at bay.
Barry Geraghty had forced the pace on the 11/10 favourite, but the combination looked a sitting duck as The Game Changer appeared to be travelling much the better entering the straight only to be outbattled on the climb to the line with Upazo a never threatening third.
It proved a rewarding card for local trainers with the in-form Val O’Brien yard coming up trumps with Abarta in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase despite still having five rivals to pass after clearing the last fence in the dip.
But Paul Carberry never panicked on the 5/1 market leader and the nine-year-old stormed up the hill to edge out both Heavenly Brook and Shield. It was Abarta’s fifth career success and like many of O’Brien string, continues to improve with age.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.