SOME of the most successful amateur riders in racing history were forced to settle for minor honours behind a back-from-retirement David Dunsdon in the feature Connacht Hotel Qualified Riders Handicap, as Sirius sprung a 50/1 shock for the successful businessman and true corinthian rider.
Willie Mullins looked to have many better chances in the €110,000 contest, including 4/1 favourite Lot Of Joy (finished ninth under Patrick Mullins), but it was the mare who had only been seen once since September 2022 prior to this big-handicap outing who ran out a ready three-and-a-half-length winner.
Dunsdon, sporting his own Coldunell Limited colours, was one of the oldest riders in the field at the age of 42 and was having just his second ride in the space of four years, having quit the saddle until recently.
He became the third British-born rider to win Ireland’s biggest amateur prize, and Sirius also earned a slice of history as the longest-priced winner of the extended-two-mile affair.
Dunsdon seemed to be in shock after sweeping by plucky runner-up Baltic Bird, ridden by Johnny Barry for Bill Durkan.
“I kind of think of this race as like the Melbourne Cup for amateur jockeys, being two miles and a handicap,” said Dunsdon.
“I’m so thankful to Willie and his team, to Harold [Kirk] for buying the mare and for the advice of everyone in the team.
“I didn’t ride for four years, had a family, came out of retirement and this was the dream. I was going to try and jump out and be handy, but the mare was looking a bit left and I missed the kick. Willie said to try and find your way through and I edged out coming down the hill. It’s amazing when you ride horses for Willie how fit they are – it’s like you have Mo Farah in the last furlong!
Sporting inspiration
“A few years ago, I saw [cyclist] Mark Cavendish make his comeback and thought that I didn’t want to drift into middle age [without returning to riding]. This is a dream.”
Mullins was full of praise for the winning owner-jockey. When asked if the result came as a surprise, the champion trainer said: “To say the least! David asked me to look out for a horse for him to ride in this race, to try and win it, and that was two years ago.
“David actually never sat on her before, he was supposed to come over and ride her out and never did. It’s tremendous. He’s a fitness fanatic and keeps himself very fit. I thought it was an extraordinary achievement.”
On the five-year-old mare recruited from France, he added: “She won easily. She had some nice form in France but had been off the track with injury. She’ll run again here on Friday night [declared for the 6.35]. She handles that hill.”
TONY Mullins knows a thing or two about winning with well-handicapped fillies at the Galway Festival, having expertly campaigned Princess Zoe to win twice at the 2020 meeting before progressing to Group 1 company.
He now has another chance to dream of higher grades with the likeable Kentucky Gal (11/1), who proved ahead of the handicapper off a mark of 69 when toughing it out to land the Grá Chocolates Handicap under Rory Cleary.
The Olive Walsh-owned filly, who has now won over seven furlongs and an extended mile and a half in her last three starts, did enough to deny the fast-finishing Highland Bling, who failed by a diminishing neck.
Mullins said: “I expected it and I think there is more to come again. Amazingly for one of mine, I would imagine she’s going to improve a good bit again on fast ground. I’m really looking forward to next year, I think we might be getting up to where I only dream about at times. She’s a big improver.
“She’ll get another run, probably on fast ground, but we won’t be hard on her this year. Three months ago she was too weak to even do fast work. She’s really only coming and I’m just hoping she might be special. If the ground was fast for the Irish Champions Festival, we could look at that.”
Rock star
The seven-furlong Eventus Irish EBF Maiden for two-year-olds is often won by a bright prospect, and the 2024 winner, Rock Of Cashel, looks set to test his credentials up in class after a much-improved performance from his debut for Aidan O’Brien.
Wayne Lordan was decisive on the front end aboard the 3/1 chance, who found generously to beat Paddy Twomey’s Admiral Churchill by two and a quarter lengths for the Coolmore partners.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He was just very babyish the first day [when eighth of 14 at the Curragh] and he’s come forward from it. He’s still quite babyish but he’s going to be a lovely horse in time - he’s still putting it all together.
“We might look at something like the Futurity for him, some of those nice races. We’ll step up into group company and see where he fits in with the rest of them.”
Artful off the mark
Apprentice James Ryan has been catching the eye of many seasoned judges as a young rider going places, and he hammered home that point with a fine ride to claim a first Galway Festival winner on Artful Approach in the Clayton Hotel Galway Handicap.
Trained by Jack Davison for winning owners Quality Time Racing and Partner, the 7/1 chance had threatened to open his account on several occasions but picked quite the moment to get off the mark at the 10th attempt.
Speaking after the length-and-a-half success, Davison said: “I thought he was well handicapped [off a mark of 73] because he just hadn’t got his act together in his races to this point.
“He was drawn in stall 21 at Fairyhouse last time [when fifth in a maiden] and raced four wide the whole way. He learned something then and the handicapper left him alone, thankfully. Hopefully he might reappear at the weekend.”
RICHARD O’Brien made his only runner of the 2024 Galway Festival count when landing the Ballybrit opener with exciting novice hurdler Feud, who is now two from two over flights for the Lough Hyne Partnership.
It was a commanding performance from the three-parts brother to this year’s Irish 1000 Guineas star Fallen Angel in the Galmont Hotel & The Galway Bay Hotel Novice Hurdle, never looking like being caught at any point in the straight under Danny Mullins.
The three-and-a-half-length winner, sent off at 16/5, was following up an impressive victory on his hurdling bow at Listowel a month earlier and will now be readied for a step up in class.
O’Brien, who notched his first Galway winner with Last Ammo a year earlier, said: “It’s quite intriguing going forward as to what way he can go because that was quite impressive. There were nerves beforehand, though I’d still feel pressure if it was a bumper at Ballinrobe. The last 48 hours were hell but we’re here and through it.
“I’m delighted for the lads, it’s important to emphasise the importance of them to me. I’ve never got a chance to buy a horse like this before.
“Myself and David Skelly, a young man who is getting going in the game, bought this horse [at last year’s Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale for 46,000gns]. David gave me great help at the sales.
“We’ll explore his ceiling over hurdles and maybe later he could come back to being a lovely dual-purpose horse. I’m excited about him. Before this, I said we were either going to Listowel for the Lartigue or else the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse. The dream has come true, for now.”
Hypnos hoses up
Over the same distance, it was a family affair in the Easyfix Handicap Hurdle as 16/1 shot Son Of Hypnos bolted up by 10 lengths under 7lb claimer James Smith.
Trained by the rider’s uncle Kevin and owned by his grandfather, also named Kevin, the former dual course winner was easily the most easy winner of the opening day.
“This is savage because I’ve been coming to Galway for years,” said the winning rider, who is now back in Ireland after a stint with Jonjo O’Neill in Britain.
“My first real good time at this place was with One Cool Poet and that got me interested in the meeting.
“My Dad [Matthew] has had a lot of winners here and it’s nice to get one of my own, especially for Kevin and in my grandfather’s colours.”
The market was much stronger on the chances of Charles Byrnes’ Delta Force in the Monami Construction Bumper, with the Godolphin castoff opening his account in decent style at the fourth attempt under Ray Barron.
Delta delivers
Carrying the colours of Cathal Byrnes, the well-supported 11/8 favourite bounced back from defeat at Newton Abbot on his last start to make it back-to-back years of bumper winners at the meeting for his Co Limerick yard.
“He gave him a good ride - he was out on the better ground and the winners are coming out there,” said the winning trainer.
“He liked the bit of ease in the ground, it was too quick for him at Newton Abbot. It’s possible he could run again here on Sunday.”