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 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.”

Rider dilemma

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 and we had a ding-dong at the [Galway-Armagh] 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. He did everything right, travelled and jumped amazing. I couldn’t have been happier with him anywhere and he made life easy for me. He’s a handy horse but has bags of scope.” 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.

Doubling up

A great afternoon for Meade’s Co Meath yard got even better in the race immediately after the Plate, the Free Streaming All Racing At Tote.ie Handicap, as Monasterboice built on the promise of his maiden win at Killarney a fortnight earlier to make it a Meade double.

The Patricia Hunt-owned 9/2 shot appeared to take confidence from his previous victory, having been winless in eight starts prior to that, and Colin Keane now appears to have the knack to the three-year-old.

“A change in tactics seems to have made a big difference to him - softer ground and making the running,” said Meade.

“He probably wants the trip [of an extended mile today]. We thought he didn’t stay but it now looks the opposite and he does stay. It’s been a great day.”

ROSS O’Sullivan capped what has been the most successful period of his career with a popular 87/1 Galway Festival double in the space of 35 minutes - including his first winner at the Ballybrit showcase meeting.

The red-hot dual-purpose trainer had Talk In The Park in peak form to run out a ready winner of the Tote, Never Beaten By SP Handicap Hurdle under Darragh O’Keeffe.

Returning at 7/1, having been available at 16/1 in the morning, the recent Downpatrick maiden hurdle winner pulled six lengths clear of 11/2 favourite Sea Music for a delighted ownership group of the Downtown Syndicate, Fergus Healy and Philip Bowe.

O’Sullivan said: “It’s magic. The last time the lads [Monroe family] had a winner at the festival here with Muzak, their dad [John] trained it and Katie [Walsh] rode it in 2012. We had a great night then and we’ll have a great night again now!

“This was the plan for a good while. He won his maiden hurdle but had winter form and that experience stood to him back in the summer.”

Champella collects

O’Keeffe was also seen at his best in guiding Champella (10/1) to success in the Tote Where’s Danny Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle, denying Peter Fahey a third straight win in the race with Miss Fourie.

The two-length victory for the Sarsfields Racing Syndicate-owned mare appeared to come as a slight surprise to the trainer.

“It’s a dream come true, really,” said O’Sullivan.

“The owners were keen to come here so we were heading with more of a runner than feeling she was mad fancied. She stayed well up the hill and showed a lot of toughness.

“I’m sorry for Tom Harney, who rides her all the time but couldn’t do the weight today.

“To have a double on Plate day, it’s magic. It’s great for the yard. The syndicate are great lads and gave me my first ever horse, a point-to-pointer before we ever had a winner on the track. They owned my first point-to-point winner and have been with me ever since.”

Off the mark

There was a similarly important link between the owners of the opening two-mile-five-furlong Tote.ie Maiden Hurdle and their winning trainer.

Gordon Elliott was thrilled to get on the scoresheet with Lightkeeper, ridden by Jack Kennedy, for the Barstool Prophets Syndicate. The 11/1 shot had been a touch frustrating to follow but picked a big occasion to make it ninth time lucky under rules.

Elliott said: “My father and a bunch of friends and family from Summerhill and the surrounding area are involved in the Barstool Prophets Syndicate.

“They actually owned my first winner in Ireland back in 2007, Toran Road at Kilbeggan.

“This horse had been a bit disappointing previously, which is a pity when I had recommended him to the lads, so to win at Galway today is great. He might be a big chaser down the road.”

THERE was a poignant winner of the mile-and-a-half Download The New Tote App Qualified Riders Maiden when Scottish native Tom Hamilton signed off his riding career in Ireland with a winner on the Ray Grehan-owned Shoda.

A valued member of the Joseph O’Brien team who won bumpers on some of the stable’s Grade 1 winners such as Home By The Lee, Banbridge and Tower Bridge, Hamilton forged a successful career on these shores since his first Irish success in 2017.

He will also be remembered as a part of the Hewick story, having been one of the first riders to identify the bargain buy’s potential as an unraced four-year-old. Shark Hanlon named the prolific chaser after Hamilton’s hometown of Hawick in the Scottish borders after a workout at Tipperary, and did not amend the incorrect spelling on the horse’s registration papers over fears it could be unlucky.

Hamilton said: “Myself and Megan [O’Leary, partner] are heading to Sydney on Monday so it’s a great send-off. I’m very thankful to Joseph and the owners; he had one picked out and it all went smoothly.

“I’ve been with Joseph for eight years, having only come for a summer at the start. It’s been great. I’ve ridden a lot of very nice horses for big owners, including at the big meetings. I’ve ridden over 200 winners between point-to-points and the track. For a Scotsman to come over here and ride my claim out, I’m very grateful.

“My parents came over so I’m delighted they were here. I’ve got a good opportunity to work in an assistant trainer role to a trainer in Sydney, Matthew Smith. I have to go now while I can make the most of it and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.”

Gamble foiled

Joseph O’Brien has been enjoying a fine week out west and made it a double on the day when the admirable Busselton (8/1) notched a second flat success in the extended-two-mile Watch Danny’s Diary @ ToteRacing Handicap - foiling a gamble in the process.

It was a popular local winner for owner Michael Burke, and Declan McDonogh was strong on the versatile seven-year-old, whose CV includes being the youngest Kerry National winner since 1969 (at age five in 2022), a win over State Man in France and Grade 1 placings over hurdles and fences.

Jacovec Cavern, making his first start for Emmet Mullins after 459 days off, was the plunge horse of the race, extremely easy to back early when pushed out from 6/1 to 20/1 before being heavily punted as off time came closer. He was beaten just three-quarters of a length in second as the 11/4 favourite.

O’Brien said: “Busselton is a good, tough horse and it’s nice to see him back to form. He had the blinkers back on today and a bit more juice in the ground probably helped him.

“I’m delighted to have a winner at the Galway Festival for Michael. We might look at the Kerry National again, and he can always run on the flat too.”