HARRY Rogers landed Saturday’s €110,000 feature race, the BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle, with Nap Racing Syndicate’s 18/1 shot Grann’s Boy.

Sean Flanagan brought the six-year-old into contention before the last and a good jump helped him pull six lengths clear from Pinot Gris. It marked a fourth win over hurdles for the Zoffany gelding, who had failed to fire on his last three starts.

“He was in good shape coming here and it worked out well,” Rogers reported.

“The syndicate are with me a long time and they’re very lucky and loyal owners. I won this same race 28 years ago and this is great to come back and win here again. He is a proper little horse, who will jump a fence as well.”

Nice surprise

Faoladh (22/1) was another big-priced winner on the day, as Andrew Slattery’s charge came out on top in a close finish to the Ardilaun Hotel Handicap under Adam Browne-Souza.

The Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate’s four-year-old led inside the final furlong and dug deep to deny The Sweet Escape by a short head, with the same distance back to Apache Outlaw in third, while San Aer was an unlucky runner after failing to find a gap.

Slattery said: “We got his palate cauterised a month ago, but he has run absolutely terribly since and we only ran here as the lads (owners) wanted a runner, as they were staying up.

“He ran on Tuesday night when he didn’t stay and the ground was too soft, but was due to be dropped 2lb and I said we may as well run again. It was a surprise, but is great and he isn’t a bad horse at his best. Adam gave him a brilliant ride as well.”

Leave it late

The McDonagh Capital Investments Handicap provided another thrilling finish, as the Noel Meade-trained Sir Jeremy (11/1) got up close home to win by a neck from Thatwilldoso.

Ciara and Clodagh Morris’ chesnut wore blinkers for the first time and was held up at the back of the field by Paddy Harnett and made good headway in the straight to lead close home.

“I told Paddy to take his time, but he surely did!” Meade commented. “I thought he blew it, to be honest, but his 5lb claim was a big help and the horse stayed really well. He could go further as well, and the first-time blinkers helped him.”

FIVEONEFIVE provided Cian Collins with his first Galway success in the BoyleSports Galway Tribes Handicap Hurdle worth €80,000.

Ridden patiently by Jack Kennedy, the 10/1 shot finished strongly to deny Metamorpheus by half a length, with another two and a quarter lengths back to the favourite Paul’s Dream in third.

Collins reported: “I told the lads that he’d win in Galway instead and thankfully it worked out. It was a masterclass from Jack and, only for him, I don’t think he’d have won. I know Jack since our pony racing days and we’ve had good fun through the years.

“He was the first horse I ever bought. He was initially one of three horses in my yard and is the yard favourite.

“He isn’t an easy horse and Ray Loftus has always ridden him out, but he was cheap and I got two great owners, Salvatore Giannini from Wales and Tony Lagan from the north, involved.”

Kennedy was later suspended for two racedays after stewards found him guilty of riding carelessly in an incident in the dip rounding the bend, where it appeared Matt Connor clipped a heel.

Ebor aim

The preceding opener, the BoyleSports Best Odds Guaranteed Maiden Hurdle, saw Willie Mullins’ 10/11 favourite Columbus make all under Paul Townend.

The Group 1-placed flat recruit cost €400,000 and finished second, beaten nine lengths on his first start over hurdles in Killarney in May. The five-year-old son of Oasis Dream produced significant improvement here, as he travelled well on the turn for home, before his nearest pursuer fell at the last.

After the Vincent Caldwell-owned gelding scored by seven and a half lengths, Mullins said: “I thought he gave an exhibition of jumping for a horse having only his second run over hurdles.

“The Ebor in York is his next run, and we’ll see how he gets on there, but I’ll be looking at mixing a flat/jumping campaign. We’ll see what happens on the flat and, if he looks good enough, we’ll pursue that, but I’d also like to have him for the spring festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree.”

Group 1 target for victorious juvenile

VICTORY Speech (11/10 favourite) provided Aidan O’Brien with his only Galway winner of the week when taking the Whiskey Refrigeration Irish EBF Maiden under Wayne Lordan.

A close second on debut last month, the Coolmore home-bred made all over the extended mile and was ridden out to deny the fast-finishing Zarak Pasha by three-quarters of a length.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He had a lovely run the first day and we felt coming around Galway would be a lovely learning experience for him.

“He will be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year and we’ll try and get one more run into him now, before running in the Group 1 Golden Fleece Stakes on Champions Weekend, all being well.”

Queally takes gold

Declan Queally gained his second win of the week when Sarahs Lawn made a successful rules debut in the Electric Galway Irish EBF Mares Flat Race.

Last seen winning a Lisronagh maiden for Benny Walsh, the For The Love Of It Syndicate-owned four-year-old was sent off 6/1 in a first-time tongue tie. Positioned in midfield by Queally, the daughter of Yeats produced a challenge turning for home and ran on gamely to beat the well-bred favourite Fleur Dino by three-parts of a length.

Queally reported: “Barry Stone had been riding for me in bumpers and recommended this mare, so we bought her from Benny Walsh. She had some niggly problems after she arrived, but the last three weeks have been golden, and I’ve been happy with her.

“The boys were shying away from coming to Galway, but I could feel her ability at home and it worked out well.”

Toni Quail, rider of the eighth horse Bayswater Bloom, and Kaitlyn Ryan, rider of the ninth horse No Pass Port, each received two-day suspensions for separate incidents where they were found to have ridden carelessly.

Family success

The Gleeson family’s home-bred Rest Your Mind (15/2) landed the Bathshack Maiden on her first start for Gerard O’Leary. Billy Lee produced the well-related Wootton Bassett four-year-old late to beat 7/4 favourite Royal Bones by half a length

O’Leary said: “We were hoping for her to just come home well and have her for another day, but Billy (Lee) said he had loads of horse and was happy to kick on, so it worked out brilliantly.

“I’m not too far from the Gleesons and have been friendly with Damien for many years. He has been a great friend and, more recently, John has been calling to ride out and we’re great friends as well.”