EMMET Mullins’ sniper-like precision for sizing up big-race targets was again evidenced in spectacular style with Teed Up pulling off a Ballybrit beauty of a plot in Monday’s feature Connacht Hotel Q.R. Handicap.

The Mee family’s six-year-old, who struck over hurdles at last year’s Galway Festival - and was declared to run again on Friday in the Guinness Premier Handicap - could have been called the most likely winner from a fair way out under 7lb-claiming amateur Ray Barron.

The soft-ground specialist delivered the goods as 7/2 favourite, doing enough to repel a late challenge from The Very Man by half a length.

The big-race success brought Mullins’ Galway Festival record to 12 winners from just 49 runners here since his first in 2016. It also meant that when the Bagenalstown trainer saddled fancied runners sent off 7/2 or shorter at the meeting, he struck with nine of his 21 representatives - operating at a sizzling 43% strike rate.

“The rain came for us today and probably didn’t suit a lot of others,” said the winning trainer.

“He’s a proper little dinger of a horse and has such a good record around here; it’s horses for courses at Galway and he loves coming back.

Marquee festival

“It’s our summer marquee festival and we don’t have too many social runners here.

“They are all here with good chances and it’s going well. I’ve told Michael [Mee] already that I’ve done my bit to take the pressure off myself for the week after this. It’s great for the Mees.”

Teed Up was sourced extremely shrewdly for just €3,500 at the Goffs Horses in Training Sale in November 2021, already a dual Galway winner at that stage for Ken Condon with a mark in the mid 80s.

Monday’s €110,000 handicap victory made it two wins and three seconds in the space of six runs for Teed Up.

“The reason we bought him was purely the Ballybrit form and he’s paid off his purchase in spades,” said Mullins. “He tries his heart out and is a great asset to the team.”

On how the race unfolded, the Grand National-winning trainer added: “Ray was very good on him.

He hadn’t ridden for me before and I didn’t want to overload him with instructions.

“I just told him to take his time and if he got a gap on the hill, make sure to go out and not in. He had a willing partner and it was great to see.”

WHAT do they say about an ounce of breeding? The most regally-bred horse to run at the 2023 Galway Festival did not disappoint in the opening Galwaybayhotel.com & TheGalmont.com Novice Hurdle as Mystical Power produced a sparkling success on his hurdling debut.

By Galileo and out of legendary race mare Annie Power, the Willie Mullins-trained four-year-old showed signs of greenness and rawness but powered up the Ballybrit hill for a seven-length success as 6/4 favourite. He was ridden by Mark Walsh for the partnership of J.P. McManus, Mrs John Magnier and Mrs Susannah Ricci.

Mullins, who reportedly was recording his 100th Galway Festival winner, said: “He blew me away. I’d imagine if he hadn’t won in a workmanlike fashion in a bumper at Ballinrobe on his only other start, people would have been wowed by this performance from a horse on his hurdling debut.

“His mother won the second race of her career here so he’s following in her footsteps. Hopefully he can get most of the way that she went. He likes jumping and Enda Bolger schooled him well. I think there’s a lot more to come from him. He could go for the Royal Bond.”

McManus double

One of the most popular winners of the day - in more ways than one - came in the Easyfix Handicap Hurdle as Neveradullmoment put it all together to gain a deserved first win at the 12th time of asking for trainer Philip Dempsey.

It completed a double in the first two races for J.P. McManus and brought up a first Galway winner for up-and-coming conditional rider Danny Gilligan at his local track.

In the process, the 17-year-old shedded his 7lb claim to 5lb, and the winner was also popular with punters - returning as 4/1 favourite (from 8/1 in the morning).

Dempsey said: “He’s been doing everything well and we were very happy with him. Danny did everything right and gave him a good ride. I’ve trained all this family including Teacher’s Pet and Whatareudoingtome; they were decent horses. He should make a lovely chaser.”

Mate keeps Mullins happy

Willie Mullins ended the card right where he started off, back in the winner’s enclosure after an easy-to-back My Great Mate landed the Monami Construction Bumper from highly-touted newcomer Arctic Gale, trained by Emmet Mullins.

Record-breaking amateur Patrick Mullins was always in the right position on the Jackie Mullins homebred, who is closely related to the stable’s Grade 1 winner Ashroe Diamond. He ran out a length-and-a-quarter winner at 9/2 (from 2/1).

“I thought Patrick was very good tactically,” said the champion trainer.

“He was given no help and it was a hell of a ride on a difficult horse. They were all queuing up behind and he just had enough kept in reserve. He’s well-bred but unfortunately we lost the mare Saine D’Esprit, who is from the family of Quel Esprit. Hopefully we have a nice one with this horse.”

TWENTY years on from Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow’s brilliant 10-length win in the same race, classy juvenile Mythology set himself up for a tilt at group company by landing the Claregalwayhotel.ie Irish EBF Maiden in smart style for Joseph O’Brien.

Ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle for the Coolmore partners and Teme Valley, the 7/4 favourite paid a nice compliment to one of next year’s big classic hopes, Henry Longfellow, who had his measure at the Curragh on Irish Oaks weekend.

Speaking after the two-and-a-quarter-length success, O’Brien said: “He had a very good run at the Curragh last time, as well as on his debut. He deserved to get his head in front. He’ll get confidence from that.

“He came from the breeze-ups and was well recommended by Willie Browne. He looks like a nice horse who is going places. He’ll probably go for a group race at Deauville in two weeks.”

Cracking win for Harrington crew

The most enthusiastic ownership group to hit the Ballybrit winner’s enclosure on day one were the It’s All About The Girls syndicate, who celebrated an extremely gutsy success for rapidly-improving three-year-old Youcrackmeup in the Eventus Handicap.

Shane Foley was excellent from the front on the 16/1 winner, trained by Jessica Harrington, and overcame a strong challenge in the straight from runner-up Astar to score by a going-away four lengths.

Kate Harrington said: “It’s brilliant for all the ladies. She’s been a bit of a slow learner and was very green in her opening runs. The penny is only starting to drop now. I thought the handicapper had been pretty hard on her for her last couple of runs but we gave her a break and she strengthened a lot.

“This was the plan and the ladies all had a good lunch in Moran’s on the Weir before coming here - it’s been a good day out.”

Local winner for Comer

The Luke Comer yard emerged with a first Galway Festival winner since 2006 when Rio Largo powered home in the closing stages under Declan McDonogh to win the Claytonhotelgalway.ie Handicap for three-year-olds.

The 8/1 winner, who struck by a length and a half, got some lovely splits and delivered an important winner for his Galway connections.

Comer said: “I’m only from down the road in Glenamaddy so it’s always special for me to come home to Galway. It’s probably as competitive as Cheltenham or Ascot.

“This is a team effort with a lot of people involved. If you don’t have the team then you don’t have the success, it’s as simple as that.”