DUAL Galway Hurdle runner-up Jesse Evans (5/2) gained a first win over fences on Monday where the Noel Meade-trained gelding landed the Galway City Beginners Chase under jockey Sam Ewing. 

Owned by Jack Singleton, the eight-year-old had contested four consecutive renewals of the Galway festival showpiece race and today, on his second start over fences, jumped well and was pushed-out to score by two and a quarter lengths, from Shecouldbeanything. 

Meade commented: “I’d say the mistake in Killarney did him good as he was absolutely foot-perfect the whole way around; all his schooling had been excellent, so that was his first time making a mistake. 

“He is a good ground horse and I’d love to think he’d be back next year for the Plate - that would be my dream with him if he stayed right. While the ground is dry, we’ll continue until the beginning of the winter and the Cheltenham October meeting is in the mix. He has been fantastic.”

Gambling

A sizable gamble was landed in the preceding Galway Handicap Hurdle (division two), as Max Time (50/1, returned 17/2) continued the good recent spell of trainer Iggy Madden, when scoring under jockey Shane Fitzgerald.

Max Time’s namesake won four races for Madden in the early 2000s and while today’s Max Time had shown very little in previous 21 runs, today reappeared from 111 days off when leading at the final flight and beating Hees Dynamite by five and a half lengths. 

Following today’s race, Madden was somewhat taken aback by the gamble, saying: “We had to give him a few schools as it was his first run back and I knew he’d run well. I hate telling people to back my horses as when they run badly, you get this rubbish about ‘he’s no good, that horse’.

“A lot of fellas seemed to be in a hurry today; where did the money go - 33/1!? Who was gambling him? - it wasn’t me.”

ANOTHER gamble was foiled in the opening Kenny Developments Maiden Hurdle as Oh So Charming (morning 50/1, returned 15/2) failed by a half-length behind the well-supported winner Itsalladream (20/1 – 12s).

Itsalladream had previously finished a well-beaten third in two recent maiden hurdles but today kept on well on the run-in to hold Oh So Charming, 

Paul Gilligan trains Itsalladream for his wife Natalie and afterwards said: “Our eldest lad Liam found this horse from Wexford and he recommended us to buy him, as he had some okay point-to-point form. 

“He isn’t the easiest, is tricky and at the start he dropped Jack (Gilligan, son and winning jockey). Our lads do a great job with him at home, though, and Liam rides him out. He wears the hood as he gets too lit up and getting him from the parade ring to the start is the hard part. 

“In the race he is grand, it was a super ride by Jack and hopefully he will progress now. We won’t get too excited with today, it was great to win here and he is a fine big horse who is a right chaser in the making.”

Value

The most valuable race was the €17,500 Deacy Gilligan Hurdle, which was won by the Gordon Elliott-trained, Francis Mangan-owned The Wallpark (5/6 favourite), under Jack Kennedy.

The winner seemed slightly uneasy when leading and while briefly outpaced by leader Kings Hill, rallied well to eventually stretch clear of that rival, scoring by four lengths.

Elliott said: “He has his own way of doing it, but has an engine and is a grand honest horse. Jack said if they had gone faster it would have suited better, as he didn’t like being in front. He definitely wants three miles and we’ll go to Cheltenham for a Pertemps Qualifier in October now. 

“He’s a good horse and will go chasing next year.”

Local success

Local trainer Norman Lee was on the mark in the Galway Handicap Hurdle (division one) with the Addergoole More Partnership’s Oscar High (12/1), under jockey Shane O’Callaghan.

The winning 12-year-old had drifted to the stands’ side on the run-in but held on to score by a half-length from West Clare.

Lee reported: “Today was the plan for a while and it is great when it works. He is a grand little horse and it was a great ride by Shane. He drifted to the stands’ side, but it was good riding by Shane as he left him roll along. I was afraid the ground was getting a bit dry for him, but he is an honest little horse and is a credit to everyone.”

TRAINER Ger O’Leary continued his excellent recent run of form as the Lance Bloodstock Limited’s Wee Charlie (10/1) landed the angloprinters.ie Handicap Hurdle, under Michael O’Sullivan.

Wee Charlie won cosily and O’Sullivan commented: “All credit to Ger, who is an absolute gentleman. I’m delighted to ride a winner for him, his horses are in some order and Dean (Curran) and Marto (Davidson) are doing a great job.

“He travelled very sweetly, jumped everywhere for me and while we got into trouble at the second last and I was cursing myself, we probably ended up winning too far. He bolted up.”

Ballybrit specialist

J.P. McManus’ Neveradullmoment (9/4 favourite) reserves his best form for Ballybrit and notched his third career success - all at today’s course, in the Kenny Developments Handicap Chase.

Ridden by Mark Walsh, the McManus family-homebred travelled well throughout and won easily by nine and a half lengths from Macgiloney.

Winning trainer Philip Dempsey stated: “He is a different horse here, jumped great and Mark gave him a lovely ride. Macgiloney was the horse I feared as he is a seasoned warrior, but our horse winged fences and won well. 

“We’ll hopefully find a race for him here in October and you wouldn’t rule him out for next year’s Galway Plate. He likes that ground so might be more of a summer type.”

Well-bred

Joint-trainers John and Tommy Kiely landed the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares INH Bumper with well-bred Meitheal (7/2), for owners the Flynn family. 

A grandaughter of connections’ three-time Grade 1 winner Liss A Paoraigh, Meitheal scored a three-quarters of a length victory over Mummy Derry under John Gleeson.

Afterwards John Kiely reported: “That win was nice to get for her pedigree but more so for the Flynns, who are our longest-standing owners. They are with us since the 1960s with their first horse Shuil A Gra, who was a quality mare, and this mare is descended from her.

“She might go for a winners’ bumper, but she will jump.”