FOR the second time in their careers, Donagh Meyler and Noel Meade proved the heroes of the hour in the Tote Galway Plate as 20/1 shot Pinkerton produced a career-best performance to narrowly prevail in the €270,000 Ballybrit highlight.

The 2024 edition of the Plate had an extremely open look to it, and a host of runners held chances upon jumping the last and turning for home.

Meyler, partnering the Philip Polly-owned winner, always exuded a degree of confidence, however, and took command once straightening up for home.

Gordon Elliott mounted a serious challenge, with a rallying Duffle Coat, Zanahiyr and Ash Tree Meadow snapping at Pinkerton’s heels for the Cullentra handler, but the last-time-out Punchestown Festival winner had enough in hand to overcome the onslaught by half a length.

Ecstatic winning owner Polly said: “Noel put this horse up for sale on Facebook a couple of years ago and we spotted him there. We reached out to Noel and the rest is history. Who would have thought we’d be winning a Galway Plate two years later? It’s some story. A lot of family are here with me today, it’s very emotional.”

Meade, following up his win in the race with Road To Riches a decade earlier, added: “The big races here are huge, and this is one of the biggest. After this horse won at Punchestown, we said we’d wait for here after a little break. He’s been doing everything right.

“Donagh was very good on him. I was trying to poach Sam [Ewing, Pinkerton’s regular rider] off Gordon [Elliott] and we had a ding-dong at the match on Sunday. I wanted him to give him to me, but he told me ‘we might be great friends, but this is war!’

“It was the horse’s first try at the trip but he saw it out well. We’ll enjoy today and think about the future another day. A trip to Listowel for the Kerry National is possible, it looks like he’d stay three miles.”

Meyler, a native of Kilmacow in Co Kilkenny, had previously won the Plate on Lord Scoundrel for Elliott in 2016 and broke a run of three straight seconds at this year’s festival.

“It’s special to win this race again,” said Meyler.

“He did everything right, travelled and jumped amazing. I couldn’t have been happier with him anywhere and made life easy for me. He’s a handy horse but has bags of scope. Galway is unreal and they do a fantastic job for jockeys.”

Big-race favourite Perceval Legallois, sent off at 7/2, could only finish eighth, having been unable to get fully on terms with the leaders despite briefly looking a threat.