Highlight of the day
There was something a little bit special about seeing Alan O’Sullivan win the feature on Filey Bay. It’s been an unimaginably tough year for the O’Sullivan family and seeing them have the chance to celebrate a massive success like this meant a lot to so many in the game. A terrific result.
Ride of the day
Wide draws can spell curtains for many chances at Ballybrit - especially over seven furlongs. That made the efforts of Declan McDonogh all the more impressive on It’sneverjustone, coming with an excellently-timed challenge to strike from stall 16. What a result this was for trainer Dave Loughnane too. It meant the world to the Galwayman.
Performance of the day
A toss-up between two youngsters, Davy Crockett and Constitution River. The latter might just shade the honours as one who can be perfectly comfortable in stakes company before the year is out. That particular seven-furlong juvenile maiden has been contested by some high-class sorts down the years.
Market mover of the day
There were some notable late moves, and bookmakers would have breathed a sigh of relief when Starford was just touched off by Kilmeaden, having been backed down to 2/1 favourite from an opening ring show of 9/2. That said, seeing Filey Bay bolt up in the main event after seeing strong support from 18/1 to 7/1 in the ring was the standout move of the night.
In-running carnage of the day
There wasn’t an array of heartache around here, for a change! Still, Starford hit 1/7 in-running before being edged out by Kilmeaden in the Grá Chocolates Handicap. It’s also worth mentioning Wahraan, who had some stalls issues for his previous connections, but made a fine debut for British-based trainer Jessica Bedi when fifth in the Connacht Hotel Handicap - running better than the bare result suggests when noting how wide he challenged away from everything else in the straight. Having been sent off at 125/1 (and 299/1 on the Betfair Exchange) he traded at just under 5/2 in-running.
Eye-catcher of the day
While never looking like catching the impressive Constitution River, there was plenty to be encouraged about from the debut run of Spangled Sands for Joseph O’Brien and Bronsan Racing. With three furlongs to run, he looked to be under the pump and could have fallen away, but he showed a likeable attitude to run on for second - clocking faster closing sectionals through the final two furlongs than anything else in the line-up. He’s nailed on to win a maiden and looks quite smart. The Starspangledbanner colt has a useful page too, being a brother to Symbolize (Timeform rating of 112), and had the longest maximum stride in the race, as per RaceiQ.
Stat of the day
Jessica Harrington’s record of producing winners at the Galway Festival is something to behold. She made it 11 straight years of saddling at least one winner at this meeting when Jerrari won a competitive-looking handicap hurdle in good style under Donagh Meyler, himself a two-time Galway Plate-winning rider. In fact, since 2018, Harrington has wrapped up the week with tallies of three, two, four, three, five, two and four winners at each festival. A lady to watch closely at this meeting.
Quote of the day
“Once he swept through, I thought ‘Jesus, this can’t be happening’. I’ve had too many goes at this place down the years to remember [including when saddling the runner-up to One Cool Poet in 2019 with Fayetta]. My wife has even stopped coming over, though she might make it over late in the week. This is magical. This is where I grew up. This is where I fell in love with racing” - Dave Loughnane was overcome with joy after registering his first Galway winner.