THIS year’s Guinness Galway Hurdle, a Grade A race that is designated Grade 1 in sale catalogues, was won by the Willie Mullins-trained Sharjah, the five-year-old son of Doctor Dino (Muhtathir) producing a career best effort to do so. This was his fourth victory, the third over hurdles, and he was previously placed in the Grade 3 Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary.

Bought by William Huntingdon and Liam Norris as a yearling at the Arqana October Yearling Sale in 2014 for €30,000, he has now earned many multiples of that and has winnings of some £200,000 to his credit. One of four winners from his dam Saaryeh (Royal Academy), Sharjah is the best to date, though his half-brother Sahawar (Dark Angel) won four times and was in the frame many times on the flat in listed races.