AS the green and gold silks of J.P. McManus flashed down the outer in the dying strides to pinch the Guinness Premier Handicap at Galway last Friday, the well-worn adage of the old dog for the hard road rang true loud and clear.

For great weighing room stalwart Niall McCullagh, it had been a quiet 2023, but – almost in an instant – his fortunes turned around pretty spectacularly. From having drawn a blank for the season prior to a double at Down Royal the previous week, he delivered a serious contender for ride of the season aboard Brazil to plunder the feature €110,000 prize on day five of the Ballybrit bonanza. Right out of the top drawer.