NOT even the spectre of a void race could stop Willie Mullins as the champion trainer’s near metronomic record in the week’s feature contests yielded a fifth six-figure pot in six days when Low Sun and Katie O’Farrell led home a one-three-four for the yard in the Galway Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle

The race, which attracted eight runners from the champion trainer, served up some unexpected and unintended drama as the entire field briefly took the wrong course after jumping the hurdle after the stands on the first circuit. The stewards interviewed the clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer and considered Rules 215 (i), 215 (ii) and also the powers of the stewards provided in Rule 10.

The stewards made a determination that no horse gained an advantage as a result of the wrong course being taken and decided that it was not appropriate or necessary to envoke their powers to void the race. The result was allowed to stand although everyone at the track was utterly unaware that any such deliberations had taken place with the winner all right announcement made a number of minutes after Low Sun had returned to the enclosure.

Low Sun, a Susannah Ricci-owned gelding, was continuing the marked progress that began when he landed a €100,000 handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse over Easter. He followed that with two good runs at the Punchestown and a handicap success at the Curragh on Derby weekend and the step-up to two and three-quarter miles for this race brought out the very best in him.

Low Sun was always nicely placed for Katie O’Farrell, who won on him at Fairyhouse, and he moved to the head of the field with two to jump. His work was only just beginning as he was strongly pressed by the English raider Minella Awards in the straight and the latter appeared to edge ahead early on the run-in.

Low Sun (7/1) showed that stamina was his forte though as he dug out a two-and-a-half-length victory. The inexperienced favourite, Shanning, ran very well in third on her first run since October.

“It’s fantastic for Katie and the horse too. He was actually on our list of horses to sell at one point in the spring but he has come out and won good races here and at Fairyhouse,” said Mullins. “I still think that he has a career on the flat and he stays very well so he could be one for those good staying handicaps on the flat in the autumn. I thought he was beaten but Katie got a second wind out of him and he stayed on really well.

“Shanning ran very well and if I can keep her sound I think she is going to be a very nice mare.”

O’BRIEN DOUBLE

Aidan O’Brien and his son Donnacha joined forces for an opening race double which began when Broome provided his sire Australia with his first Irish winner in the Betway Irish EBF Maiden. Evidently this colt was expected to progress well from his debut fifth behind Anthony Van Dyck at Killarney last month as he was returned the 4/5 favourite to account for the twice-placed Lightning Amber.

The front-running Broome was pressed by his aforementioned opponent early in the straight but he had any amount in reserve and asserted nicely to prevail by a length and a half.

“He’d a nice run the last day when he was quite raw and he was still green and raw today,” reflected the jockeys’ championship leader. “It wasn’t ideal to make the running on a green horse but it was a small field and nobody else wanted to go on. There’s plenty of improvement in him.”

The Ballydoyle double was completed by the once raced three-year-old Astronomer (5/2) in the Betway Maiden over a mile. This Galileo colt had shaped with promise on his debut at the Curragh in May, when he was fourth in a useful 10-furlong maiden, and he did well to cope with this much shorter trip.

Astronomer was able to hold a decent position from early on and he then came with a strong last-furlong charge to defeat the front-running Quinns Red Rose by three-quarters of a length.

“It wasn’t ideal coming back to this trip but he showed his stamina in the last furlong. Once I got the split in the straight I felt I’d get there,” stated the rider.

Truffles (9/2) became the first horse to win twice at this year’s meeting with a fine effort in the Ardilaun Hotel Handicap over seven furlongs. Sheila Lavery’s charge was burdened with a stall 16 draw and a 6lb winner’s penalty but neither of those were major obstacles for this in-form five-year-old.

TALENTED

The talented apprentice Gavin Ryan got her away smartly to show in front from early on and Truffles put this race to bed when she quickened into a commanding lead on the turn for home. At the line, the John Lavery-owned daughter of Canford Cliffs was a resounding five-length winner over Dance Alone.

“When she won the other night I couldn’t actually remember if I had her in again later in the week. I think a lot of Gavin, he won on her last season and he gave her a beautiful ride from a bad draw,” reported the trainer. “It’s hard luck on Robbie Colgan, who won on her the other night, but she’s a small filly and weight off her back is a big plus.”

Joseph O’Brien got off the mark for the week courtesy of Triplicate whose clear-cut triumph in the O’Leary Insurances Maiden Hurdle marked him out as a horse with a decent future. The J.P. McManus-owned five-year-old, who was making just the fifth appearance of his career, was a well-backed 7/2 favourite on his first outing since November.

Mark Walsh produced the smart flat horse with his challenge on the run to the last and the pair led at that flight before a comfortable three-and-three-quarter-length defeat or Mr Everest.

FRUSTRATING

“It’s been a frustrating week, with a few placed horses, but it’s good to get a winner. He was a good flat horse and he handles an ease in the ground and jumps well. He’ll probably step into a winners’ race next,” remarked O’Brien.

Unquestionably the finish of the entire week was supplied by the Betway Irish EBF Nursery Handicap where Rinty McGinty edged a pulsating conclusion for Kevin Prendergast and Danny Sheehy. Five of the seven runners were doing battle early in the last furlong and then Urban Light got involved to make six in a line, but the well-backed Rinty McGinty (8/1) edged ahead in the last 50 yards to prevail by a neck.

The winner is owned by the trainer’s wife, Lesley, and this was Prendergast’s first win in the race since the subsequent American Grade 1 winner Earl Of Barking scored in 1992.

“It’s my first time riding for Mr Prendergast and I must say a big thank you to him. He just told me to get him out where he’s comfortable and to have him finishing well. He stuck his head out and toughed it out well,” remarked Sheehy.

MARTIN’S SUCCESS

Another trainer to open his account for the meeting was Tony Martin as Share The Honour struck at 16/1 in the McDonogh Capital Investments Handicap. Robbie Colgan was on board the five-year-old who was without a win since scoring on his debut at Dundalk in February 2017, although he had shown up well in a couple of decent Curragh handicaps on his last two outings.

The Not Even Maybe Syndicate-owned winner finished out very well over the last couple of furlongs and his sustained effort allowed him to collar Thursday’s winner Camlann late on.

“I was very slow away, I wanted to be handier but lucky they went hard enough and it played to my strengths,” observed Colgan. “When I hit the rising ground I knew he would gallop out to the line. I’m delighted to get the ride for Tony and he thought he’d have a chance if he handled the ground.”

Tom Mullins made it two winners in as many days as the Finny Maguire-ridden Court Maiden (7/1) secured the Galway Shopping Centre Irish EBF Mares Flat Race. The Rory Larkin-owned daughter of Court Cave had some strong placed form to her name and she could be one that will do well over hurdles in the coming months. She headed Wait For No One nearing the final furlong and then held the oncoming Good Scent by a neck.

“I’ve always thought a good bit of her. It took her a while to get over her first run at Gowran but she is stronger now and I doubt she will go for a winners’ bumper as I’m looking forward to her going hurdling,” commented Mullins.

ACTING STEWARDS

R. Groarke, O. Kearney, D. Pugh, T. McDonogh, H. Hynes

HORSE TO FOLLOW

MISS CHEVIOUS GIRL (W.P. Mullins): This mare looked very green for her debut in the bumper but she ran with promise to secure third behind Court Maid and she will be all the better for this outing.

Attendance

2018: 13291

2017: 13628

Tote

2018: 547500

2017: 642445

Bookmakers

2018: 746506

2017: 694120