Brooch's belated debut in the Tote Return All Profits To Irish Racing Maiden marked her out as filly with a future.
The three-year-old daughter of Empire Maker was a red-hot 4/9 favourite and she broke a little slowly under Pat Smullen but otherwise her supporters never had a moment’s worry during the extended mile contest.
She eased into the lead before the turn in and then stormed clear over the last quarter of a mile to hand out a nine and a half lengths beating to her rivals.
“Physically and mentally she has been quite an immature filly and she’s a slow learner but patience has paid dividends,” commented Weld.
“She’s a big filly and won’t do much racing this year but I’d hope that she will be a stakes filly and we’ll look and see if we can get some blacktype with her now.”
Some 21 years after his father, Adrian, won the Galway Plate on the Dermot Weld-trained General Idea, Finny Maguire successful combined with the Rosewell House trainer’s Whitey O’Gwaun.
The 16-year-old, who rode his first winner at Listowel in June, enjoyed an especially easy success on the 9/10 chance in the Tote-sponsored amateur rider’s maiden over a mile and a half.
The Sheikh Mohammed-owned three-year-old took command of this race nearing the last couple of furlongs and quickly stretched clear to hand out a 14 lengths beating to his rivals.
“It couldn’t have worked any better and there’s no better place to ride my second winner. It was just unbelievable to get the call up from Mr Weld to ride for him at Galway,” reflected the winning jockey.
A truly memorable day for Shane Shortall began when Tony Martin’s Greatness did remarkably well to strike in the two and a half miles €40,000 Tote Jackpot Guarantee Handicap Hurdle.
The progressive Newtown Anner Stud-owned grey looked to have lost all chance with an awkward landing two out just as he was creeping closer.
A cool Shortall gave the four-year-old time to get back an even keel and gather momentum and the 4/1 favourite responded with a tremendous effort to bridge the gap to the front running Golden Ticket.
The latter seemed sure to collect from well before the last but he eventually succumbed in the final yards.
“It didn’t look good for a while but thankfully it worked out in the end,” reflected Martin. “Shane is seriously good value for his 7lb claim and it’s a great asset to have. He will be a very good rider in time. We’ll see how the horse is later in the week before deciding whether he will run again.”
Jonathan Burke (18), who has been making a notable impression since turning professional, rode his first Galway winner on Cacheofgold (12/1) in the Tote and EBF-sponsored mares’ handicap hurdle.
The Liz Doyle-trained daughter of Gold Well returned from two months off to reach the frame in a Wexford maiden hurdle last Friday and she made a seamless transition to handicap company off an initial mark of 107.
The Glen Howitt-owned mare challenged Supreme Vic from early in straight and led after the last to score by a length and three quarters while the staying on joint favourite Lilly The Lioness was a further half-length back.
“She couldn’t breathe when she ran at Sligo in May and we found a growth at the back of her larynx which we had removed,” commented Liz Doyle.
“She ran well last Friday when she would have needed it and we took a punt coming here although I did think she had a solid each-way chance and she got a beautiful ride.”
Also registering his first Galway triumph was Sean Corby as he teamed up with Sophie’s World in the Bet Online At Thetote.com Handicap over an extended mile.
The Kevin O’Donnell-owned and trained filly had already picked up a decent prize at Gowran earlier in the season but she was a 14/1 chance for an open looking running of this race.
The daughter of Captain Rio worked her way into contention as the last furlong loomed and kept on well to defeat Spring Focus by a length and a half.
“She’s been good to me and gave me my biggest win to date when she won at Gowran,” commented Corby, who was riding his 10th winner of the season.
“The plan was to be handy but she jumped slow and for a while I had to sit and suffer on her.”
Cairdiuil made it two wins in as many days for Wayne Lordan with a gritty display in the 50-70 rated handicap over an extended mile.
Iggy Madden’s charge, whose last win came here in September 2012, was backed from as big as 25/1 into 9/1 during the day and was always well placed from a good draw.
He made his bid for the lead rounding the final turn but it was only late on that he mastered a game Tahaf.
“He broke well and Wayne got him into a great position. He’s in again on Sunday but he had a hard enough race there so we’ll just see how he comes out of this before deciding whether he runs again,” declared Madden.
Most Peculiar (7/1-11/2) upstaged a couple of shorter priced rivals to give Willie Mullins his second winner of the meeting in the opening Tote Pick 6 Guarantee Maiden Hurdle.
Paul Townend kicked into a useful lead on the run to the last which caught his rivals, notably the confidently ridden favourite Tandem, on the hop.
Tandem found himself with several lengths to find in the straight and a mistake at the last put paid to his chances of victory.
A game Draco pressed Most Peculiar on the run-in but the OMG Partnership-owned five-year-old held on well to prevail by three quarters of a length. Tandem was a further two and a half lengths back.
ACTING STEWARDS
P.J.A. O’Connor, M. Hillman, S. McDonogh, C. O’Flaherty, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
SPRING FOCUS (A. Oliver): A winner for Jim Bolger earlier in the season, he has filled the runner-up spot twice since joining Andy Oliver and his second to Sophie’s World in the three-year-old handicap indicated that he will be adding to his tally this season.