No trouble for lucky Loughran
Tony McCoy had gone through the pain barrier to make Far From Trouble’s weight of 10-4, but took a crashing fall off Sporting Limerick in the earlier handicap hurdle and was removed to hospital with a fractured wrist. He gets married on September 12 and now faces several weeks on the sidlines.
Loughran takes up the story: “I was coming in after the second and Mr Roche asked me would I do 10-4? I said I would.”
Back at Christmas, Loughran had ridden that now infamous race aboard Central House for his boss, Dessie Hughes.
He made the type of error which is every jockey's nightmare. Loughran completely mistook the winning post and stopped riding long before it was reached. To add insult to injury he punched the air in delight, before realising what he had done.
The wheel, literally, went the full circle yesterday and this time there were no mistakes. Far From Trouble moved sweetly through the contest, with Loughran giving him a good view of his fences.
Waltons Mountain fell at the fifth, leaving his closest attendant, Dix Villez, in front.
Dix Villez and Bothar Na raced down to the second last together and there was some very close riding between the pair.
In any case, off the home turn it was Ursumman, like Far From Trouble, owned by JP McManus, who edged on, looking the most likely winner.
The race soon changed dramatically, however, as Far From Trouble, only fifth approaching the turn in, ranged up towards the outside. Loughran had timed his challenge to perfection and the progressive seven-year-old forged away to beat gallant top weight, Ansar, by three and a half lengths.
Christmas must have seemed but a distant memory for Loughran and he took it all in his stride.
“What a super spare to get, for such an owner and trainer,” he said. “Thank God everything worked out well.
“I am sorry for Tony and Alan Crowe. Alan is a friend of mine and broke his leg earlier in the year, otherwise he would have been riding this horse.
“I had a great run, there was a bit of bunching coming down the hill the first time, but after that it was plain-sailing.”
Roche admitted he came into the contest full of confidence. “The horse was in great order and I was as confident as you could be before a Galway Plate.
“He’s a horse who bursts blood vessels, but gets away with it on that ground. As you know they frequently have problems and when you’d ring JP and tell him about one he’d always respond ‘it’s far from trouble’.
“That’s how he was named. When I saw the fall Tony got earlier I was really worried, to be truthful I was more worried about myself than Tony.
“He thought he would have won the Irish National (fell six out) and said Far From Trouble would be ideal for this race. Once he went out of the National, I had my eye on this.”
Asked about future plans, Roche smiled: “I’d imagine Noel O'Brien (handicapper) will put an end to them.”
Roche revealed that Loughran started with him and related a little known tale: Said Roche: “Dessie Hughes rang me one day looking for straw. I sent Roger over with it and when he came back he said he was going to work for Dessie!”
For owner-McManus it was a third win in the Plate to go with Shining Flame (1978) and Grimes (2001), while Roche, trained Grimes.
Dermot Weld confessed to being proud of Ansar, who was the recipient of an extraordinary reception as he returned to the number two berth.
“That’s one of the best receptions I have ever seen a horse get after finishing second,” commented Weld.
“The plan now is this day next year. I am so pleased he came home safe and well. Ruby (Walsh) felt the ground beat him, although I don’t want to take anything away from the winner.”
There was a stewards’ inquiry into the close riding going to two out and the conclusion reached was that Davy Condon, who partnered Bothar Na, was guilty of careless riding and he was suspended for seven days.
Banasan, who was in touch when falling four from home, broke a leg and had to be put down.
Paul Carberry hurt his foot in a fall here on Tuesday and will be out for a couple of days. He missed a winning ride on Noel Meade’s Ecole D’Art in the William Hill in Ireland Hurdle.
Denis O’Regan was a more than capable replacement and the imposing five-year-old made all the running.
“He only has one eye,” reported Meade. “When Paul rode him in the north the last day he said he was far happier in front and to let him roll. He’s a nice big horse with plenty of scope.”
Meade completed a double when the 11-year-old Moratorium proved much too sprightly for his rivals in the William Hill 1800 333 555 Handicap.
He got a super drive from Fran Berry, who brought him through with quite impeccable timing to sweep ahead inside the furlong pole.
“That was brilliant from Fran, he gave him a hell of a ride,” said Meade. “He (Moratorium) is getting on in years now and there are no plans.”
Worldly Wise, taken as high as 6-1 in the morning and down to 7-2 on track, justified the confidence with a smooth success in the williamhillcasino.com Handicap.
He didn’t have the best of draws, but Danny Grant, who needs one more winner to lose his claim, made light of that, pushing his charge into the lead with well over two furlongs to go.
The son of Namid was soon in total control, crossing the line three lengths clear of Destiny Do Buy.
“He’s a real good horse,” exclaimed Flynn. “He’s in later in the week, but I won’t bully him and he will now be stepped up in grade.”
Charlie Swan enjoyed a second success at the Festival when Rory’s Sister took the williamhill.ie Handicap Hurdle in the hands of David Casey.
She powered ahead going to the last and was always holding Chemin D’Or, scoring by a cosy two and a half lengths.
"“She loves this track and good ground and will go to another Festival now, Tralee or Listowel,” said Swan.
Unlucky horse of the contest was Sporting Limerick, who was travelling strongly when giving Tony McCoy that terrible fall two out. Sporting Limerick broke his neck and had to be destroyed.
Kieren Fallon’s heart was surely at Goodwood, but he made the best of it at home, piloting heavily gambled-on Flying Knight to victory in the williamhillradio.com Handicap.
And he was good as well, getting a dream run on the inside in the straight to cut down Dollars Rock and score going away.
JP Magnier may have his critics, but usually gets the job done and was spot-on with Aidan O'Brien’s Born For Glory in the williamhillpoker.com Maiden. The son of Sadler’s Wells found plenty in the final furlong to resist the persistent attentions of Dermot Weld’s Tempting Paradise.
Weld gained compensation, taking his total for the week to five, when hot-pot Tajneed benefited from a powerful Pat Smullen drive to beat Phantom Lad a head in the williamhillarcade.com Maiden.
The attendance was 28,817, up from 28,037 last year.
The tote was down from €1,535,355 to €1,450,635. The bookmakers enjoyed a major increase, however, from €3,007,002 to €3,755,082.
Finally, likely favourite for today’s Galway Hurdle, Kinger Rocks, who was to have been ridden by Tony McCoy, will now be partnered by Denis O’Regan.
