ROSS O’Sullivan took the Galway Festival by storm 12 months ago and made no secret of how highly he regards Strong Link in the lead-up to this year’s meeting. That faith was rewarded in spades when the highly-progressive five-year-old provided the yard with a first victory of the 2025 fixture, and back-to-back wins in the Guinness Novice Hurdle.
Sent off 5/2 on the back of promising bumper and maiden hurdle wins at Wexford and Tipperary respectively, the Tinnahinch Construction Limited-owned youngster got a gorgeous seam down the inner to pull off what at one stage looked an unlikely length-and-a-quarter success over Cameletta Vega.
O’Sullivan gave plenty of praise to winning rider Donagh Meyler for composing himself to produce an excellent effort just minutes after learning he’d been demoted to second in the Galway Hurdle.
“He’s a classy horse, one to look forward to over a fence and came well recommended when we bought him from [my brother-in-law] Jamie Codd,” said the winning trainer.
“He’s a very deceiving horse throughout a race - you have to know him. At no stage during the race do you ever think you’re going anywhere, then for some reason, the further you go he starts to come on it. He wants nice ground and won’t run in the depths of winter, so we’ll continue on. Listowel is an option and he could go to the October or November meeting at Cheltenham.
“After last year’s festival with four winners, there was loads of pressure and talk about Galway for the past month. To get one winner out of the week is so hard because it’s so competitive - we’re absolutely delighted. He’s owned by a good man in John Rowney from Co Laois, who I met him for the first time a year ago in Monroe’s at midnight!”
On the winning rider, O’Sullivan added: “Sport is all to do with the mind and you could see in the ring beforehand that he was very low. What can you say to him? It’s done and he said he was moving on to the next race.
“Mentally to lose a Galway Hurdle in the way he did, then come back out and give this horse the ride that he did - to have the confidence to slip up Paul Townend’s inner - that’s the sign of a really good sportsman.”
Gold prize
Willie Mullins had no luck in either the Plate or Hurdle this week, but still emerged with a Grade 3 victory in the Guinness Open Gate Brewery Novice Chase, as Gold Dancer led home Westport Cove in a 1-2 for the stable.
Gigginstown’s French recruit had been tried in Grade 1 company early on for the champion trainer, but got confidence from a first chasing win at Tipperary when his sights were lowered. Sean O’Keeffe came with a well-timed challenge on the 7/1 shot to pick off the 85/40 favourite.
“Of our runners, I thought Westport Cove would win but Gold Dancer is a horse we like and Sean gave him a lovely cute ride,” said Mullins.
“He let Paul [Townend] do all the donkey work on Westport Cove, had one crack at him and it all worked out. Today was the first time he showed me on the racecourse what we think of him at home. We’ll go down the novice chase route with him now. Hopefully, he’s good enough for the Drinmore.”
DYLAN Browne McMonagle continued his charge towards a first jockeys’ championship with a Galway Festival double on day four for Joseph O’Brien - leaving him four winners clear of Colin Keane in the title race.
Which Wolf Wins, an eye-catching second at the Curragh last time, rewarded strong market confidence in the seven-furlong Guinness Irish EBF Nursery Handicap - returning the 5/4 favourite (from 11/4 in the morning).
Speaking after the half-length success in the colours of Ana O’Brien, the winning trainer said: “He was a little disappointing on his first couple of runs, but progressed well the last day at six furlongs and Wayne [Hassett] said to go to seven the next day.
“For the first time, he went through the race well today and, hopefully, he can continue to go forward from here. He’ll get confidence from today. There’s a nice conditions race for him at Listowel in September.”
Easy for Glenroyal
The same stable’s Glenroyal had gone into many a notebook when third at Tipperary four weeks earlier, and the Ray Grehan-owned three-year-old had no such traffic issues this time around in a smooth two-length victory in first-time cheekpieces.
A mark of 66 had the potential to look attractive when all fell right, and Browne McMonagle had plenty of confidence in his ability to stay when sending him on for home around the bend.
“He has slowly been progressing over his last few runs and we thought the mile and a half would suit him,” said O’Brien.
“Ray and his family are local. They have a good bunch of friends here this week and we were unlucky to get nabbed a day earlier with Shoda. This horse’s brother Magellan Strait won the Cesarewitch for us and that family stay very well. Hopefully, the best is yet to come.”
Shrewd Fahey strike
It didn’t look a vintage renewal of the Listed Arthur Guinness Irish EBF Corrib Fillies’ Stakes beforehand and an excellent piece of placing from Richard Fahey to run the 94-rated Tropical Island saw the blacktype prize head back to Britain.
Luke McAteer never missed a beat on the front end aboard Clara Stud and partner’s 40/1 shot, and she managed to just about hold on in a three-way photo from a fast-finishing Princess Child (second in the race last year) and Easy Mover. Thatplaced pair were rated 91 and 89 respectively entering Thursday’s race.
“They told me she’d stay and she stays bang on seven furlongs. The owners were adamant to keep her going, don’t let up and turning in she was pricking her ears and looking up at the stands, but she stuck at it well,” said McAteer. “That’s my first ride for Richard. I know the owners, they’re from around Kilkenny, and they put me forward for the ride.”
AFTER coming up just short in the same race 12 months ago, there was sweet compensation for Gerry Keane and the Wear A Pink Ribbon Syndicate, when Genuine Article managed to go one better off 2lb lower in the Rockshore Refreshingly Irish Handicap over an extended mile.
A helpful draw in stall five allowed Seamie Heffernan to dictate affairs from the front, and he quickened away from the field to record an overdue first victory for the yard since joining for 95,000gns in October 2023.
The 11/2 winner had three lengths to spare at the line over Galway regular Imposing Supreme and testing-ground specialist Titanium.
Keane said: “It’s been a long time coming for this horse after we bought him; we thought he’d have won before now and we thought he’d win here last year. He was a bit disappointing overall, but the key to him is a cut in the ground.
“He was proven on this track, which was a big help, and Seamie spoke to Colin [Keane], who said to ride him forward from the draw. Colin [who missed the ride due to suspension] picked out this horse to buy, so he’ll be delighted.”
Hogan’s high hopes
Denis Hogan targets this meeting every year and one of his brightest young prospects, Frankie John, got him off the mark for the 2025 festival in the Guinness Time Bumper.
Carrying the colours of his mother Mary, and part-owned by John Mahon, the Walk In The Park gelding picked up well enough off a steady pace to win in decent style by two and a half lengths under Harry Swan.
The 15/2 shot, who won a point-to-point on debut, looked a track winner waiting to happen after his rules debut fourth to Copacabana at Navan in February before finishing third in a Thurles bumper when last seen in March.
Hogan said: “He’s a really good horse, who we initially bought for a lot of money [€115,000 as a store], then sold for a lot of money [£275,000 after his point-to-point win], but that sale didn’t work out as he had an issue. It was a foot problem, which wasn’t anything major but he returned seven days after the sale.
“It didn’t bother me when the phone rang to say he was coming back, because he’s a good horse and it’s great to have winners on these days.
“He’s a horse I need in my yard but we are sellers nowadays and, if a horse becomes saleable, we have to sell unfortunately. That said, I’ll talk to John and my parents and it might be hard for someone to buy him now!”