IN a race that he has made his own in recent years, English trainer Brian Ellison worked the oracle yet again in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap as last year’s winner Dream Walker led home a one-two-three for the yard.

Ellison sent out four horses in his bid to land this €100,000 prize for the fourth year in a row and, just as he did 12 months ago, Dream Walker produced some last-to-first heroics.

Chris Hayes, who was on board the grey in 2016, was again more than happy to drop his mount in at the rear of the field.

A frenetic early pace meant that a host of late closers were able to get into the reckoning in the final stages. Among these was Dream Walker (7/1) who began to thread his way through the field with over two furlongs to run. At this stage, the top-weight, Riven Light, was enduring a nightmare run as he looked to get through on the inner.

Even with a furlong to run, Riven Light was still in with a chance but further trouble awaited him as he started to close in on the Ellison duo of Be Kool and Baraweez. Instead it was Dream Walker who came through to claim his stablemates.

Fresh from his excellent third to Riven Light here on Tuesday, the Keith Brown-owned gelding defeated former dual winner Baraweez by half a length, with Be Kool a further three-quarters of a length away. The desperately unlucky Riven Light had to settle for fifth.

“It’s unbelievable, what can I say. Dream Walker hasn’t lifted a leg this season but he just seems to come alive here. He had a high draw but that doesn’t matter as even if he had a good draw he’d be dropping out,” said Ellison.

“Coming here I fancied Baraweez but the ground just went against him. Galway has been the plan for both of them all along and hopefully we’ll be back again next year. Maybe Baraweez will come to Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend for the good seven furlongs, which he won a few years ago.”

MULLINS TREBLE

An outstanding meeting for Willie Mullins ended on a high as the trainer reeled off a closing day treble to make it a dozen winners over the course of the week. However, it was the Susannah Ricci-owned Arbre De Vie (9/4) and not the Plate runner-up Shaneshill (4/9) who took centre stage in the At The Races Chase.

Shaneshill looked to be doing everything right from the front in this four-runner two and three-quarter-mile event but at the fifth last Ruby Walsh had to work wonders to stay on board the odds-on favourite. After clearing the last it was clear that the Paul Townend-ridden Arbre De Vie was full of running, whereas Shaneshill was labouring, and Townend only needed to nudge along his mount for a six-length triumph.

“It’s a nice way for him to break his duck over fences,” remarked Mullins. “Arbre De Vie could go down the novice route but the Kerry National would be an option for both him and Shaneshill.”

The Ruby Walsh-ridden Ben Button got Willie Mullins off the mark for the day as he dominated the conclusion of the three-mile Kenny Galway Handicap Hurdle. The Martin McHale-owned gelding was beaten at odds-on when making his debut for the trainer at Downpatrick in June but after this he could be in line for an industrious few months.

Ben Button, whose task was eased when chief rival Dawn Raider pulled-up early on, readily picked off Newsworthy on the run to the last and the 11/4 favourite sauntered clear to prevail by a dozen lengths.

“He just found the ground too quick at Downpatrick,” reflected Ruby Walsh. “He was at something of an advantage today as he’s a winter horse running on ground that would suit, it’s hard work out there, whereas a lot of others are summer horses who would struggle on it.”

Ainsi Va La Vie (4/7) brought up the treble in the Fr Breen Memorial (Pro/Am) Flat Race to follow up her debut triumph at Limerick last month. The Supreme Horse Racing Club-owned grey got tightened up inside the final half mile. This meant that the Patrick Mullins-ridden seven-year-old had several lengths to find on Vocarium turning for home but she finished strongly and was going away at the line where she had a length and a half to spare.

“I think it might have affected her confidence a little when she’d to fight her corner but I’d say time will show that wasn’t a bad race. We’ll keep her for the listed mares’ bumper at Gowran in early October,” said the trainer.

Ryan Treacy, who was sidelined for two months with a shoulder injury, got amongst the winners on his first day back as he teamed up with Jessica Harrington’s Neverushacon in the Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase. The 12/1 shot surged into the lead after the last and kept on bravely on the long run for home to hold off a game Lucky Pat.

“It’s been a long couple of months so it’s great to be back,” commented Treacy, who was wearing the colours of David Reid Scott.

“I couldn’t have asked for better from him through the race. He’s got a great trainer and it’s just great to be riding for her.”

For the second day in succession, Dermot Weld was on the mark as Yulong Gold Fairy (5/1) claimed the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden. This inexpensively bought daughter of Mount Nelson, who is owned by Chinese-based Zhang Yuesheng, hadn’t run for almost three months but her last outing was an excellent sixth to Beckford in a red-hot Curragh maiden.

The Leigh Roche-ridden filly was always nicely placed throughout this seven-furlong contest and nothing was going better turning for home. Over the last furlong, she readily dealt with Monday’s runner-up Quizical to score by a length.

“The ground was a worry but her class got her through,” reported the jockey.

Seamus Fahey emulated his brothers, Peter and Paul, by sending out a winner at this year’s meeting as The Informer (14/1) claimed the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. Almost two years after recording his only other success, the eight-year-old provided jockey Eoin O’Connell with his first victory at the festival.

The Informer was nicely placed in behind the leaders on the run to two out and he finished out strongly once he met the rising ground. The James Terry-owned gelding asserted after the last to defeat the English raider Newstart by four and three-quarter lengths.

“I thought he’d run well and told the owner that he could have a few quid on him,” stated Fahey.

Tony Martin had to wait until his final runner of the meeting to register his first success over the seven days as Dara Tango (11/4) and Colin Keane bagged the JPK Fencing Handicap.

In the colours of Martin’s long standing patrons Niall Reilly and Aidan Shiels, the 10-year-old came with a sustained effort in the straight to register a half-length success over Highland Fling whose trainer, Gavin Cromwell, sent out the second, third and fourth.

“He broke down about three years ago and then came back with a nice run at Leopardstown two months ago,” observed Martin. “It’s great for Niall and Aidan – they deserve a bit of luck after losing poor Heartbreak City earlier in the year. They’re a great family outfit and there was 55 of them over from America the other day for a reunion.”

Jack lame

JACK The Wire, who finished last when favourite for the handicap chase won by Neverushacon, was reported to be slightly lame behind post race.

Suspensions

CIARAN Gethings was given a one-day suspension for weighing in 1.9lbs overweight after riding the third-placed Coherent in the opportunity handicap hurdle.

Ryan Treacy was handed a three-day whip suspension following his winning ride on Neverushacon.

Richie Deegan got a two-day careless riding ban after the stewards looked into an incident in the bumper in which the winner Ainsi Va La Vie was hampered leaving the backstraight.

Burst blood vessels

DAWN Raider was reported to have burst blood vessels after pulling-up in the handicap won by Ben Button

Galway round-up

FOR the second year in succession Willie Mullins claimed the trainers’ title. He had an impressive 12 victories.

Billy Lee’s four wins were enough to secure top honours among the flat jockeys and Barry Geraghty was the leading National Hunt rider. He too ended the meeting with four wins.

Cumulative Figures