Opening night four-timer for Majestic Weld
The youngster, who stands way over six feet tall and has an ongoing battle with the scales, only put up a pound overweight to ride the five-year-old at a remarkable 10-13.
Weld heaped praise on his pilot, whom he believes is destined to be champion amateur some day. “He’s so stylish for a big lad, few amateurs ride better than him”, said Weld.
McNamara had the five-year-old tracking the pace throughout, before making his move on the run into the dip.
He sent Majestic Concorde on the long burst for home and his willing partner did the rest, staying on in tremendous style to easily beat Power Of Future.
“He didn’t do a whole lot in front, but won well in the end”, reported McNamara.
Reaction from bookmakers was swift and Majestic Concorde, who will be ridden by Denis O’Regan, was promoted to favouritism all round for the Galway Hurdle on Thursday.
William Hill go 7-1, Ladbrokes and Cashmans 6’s and Boylesports as short as 5-1.
“I couldn’t have done it better myself”, said Weld, who rode the winner of this particular Monday night feature four times.
“I said to Robbie the rail is still the shortest way round, we don’t have long discussions! We will see how the horse is, he had a hard race tonight. But, all going well, will come back here for the Hurdle.”
Weld’s heavily-backed Broad Meaning outbattled Aidan O’Brien’s Drumbeat to take the GPT Access Equipment EBF Maiden.
There was buckets of money for Drumbeat in the early exchanges and Broad Meaning drifted from slight odds-on out as far as 6-4.
But then the big-hitters decided that was real value and the son of Oasis Dream was thumped in to 5-6.
Always near the front for Pat Smullen, Broad Meaning kicked off the home turn. Drumbeat was soon out after him, but Smullen’s charge kept finding for pressure and was a comfortable half a length to the good at the line.
Said Weld: “He was fit and well and knew his job. We will look for a Stakes race now and a Listed at Tipperary or the Acomb at York are two possibilities. He is a well-mannered horse and seven furlongs is a minimum for him.”
Weld was on the mark as well when Ghimaar shrugged off the steadier of 9-11 to take the GPT Van and Truck Rentals Handicap by a whopping five and a half lengths.
This was a really good effort on the part of the son of Dubai Destination, who had eight horses in front of him starting up hill to the turn in.
But he cut them down in no time at all for Smullen, sweeping away early in the straight in the style of a very smart horse in the making.
“The ground was a bit fast for him at Ascot”, reported Weld. “We will review plans and see where he will go next, but he won’t be over-raced this season and should make a smashing four-year-old.”
For Smullen it was a 51st of the campaign and he is now joint leader in the championship with Johnny Murtagh, one in front of Fran Berry.
The Roswell House maestro rounded off a terrific start to the meeting when Battle In Hand held the late burst of Abroad by a short head in the Bumper.
Literally every observer, one suspects, thought the second had got up, but the picture revealed differently.
“I had five one night about ten years ago, but will settle for four”, cracked Weld. Battle In Hand was ridden by 17-year-old Charles Weld, who is a son of John Weld, a first cousin of Dermot’s.
The stewards were none too impressed with Pauline Ryan’s use of the whip on Abroad and she was suspended for seven days.
Tony Martin’s Stage Manager put up a decent performance to defy top weight in the GPT Dublin Handicap Hurdle.
Partnered with lots of patience by Ruby Walsh, the winner ranged up behind Little Eye approaching the home turn.
In front at the last, Stage Manager soon stretched right away to score with plenty in hand by four and a half lengths.
“He’s a right little horse and has great heart”, said Martin. “He’s in several more races here this week, so we will see how he is. He could run on the flat on Friday evening.”
Bookmakers began the Festival with a dream result when David Casey scored on Jim Gorman’s 20-1 shot Hassanali.
Dancera went on plenty early enough, going to the second last, and held a healthy lead rising to the final flight.
But she met the obstacle all wrong, tired quickly and the winner had no trouble sweeping past to score going away by two lengths.
Commented Gorman: “Our horses are flying, but it’s not that they are in better form, it’s just that we have better horses this year. He will probably run next on the flat.”
There will surely be no more popular winner this week than Miranda’s Girl, who landed the GPT Cork Handicap.
She is trained by Thomas Cleary, whose son, Sean, died following a fall at the track at the October meeting in 2003.
“This is very emotional for me”, admitted Cleary, after another son, Rory, had driven the filly clear inside the furlong pole.
“It is great to ride a winner for my dad”, said Rory. Miranda’s Girl is likely to come back here on Thursday.
The attendance was 20,476, down from 22,595 a year ago. The tote was 945,311, as against 1,104,765, while the bookmakers were also down at 2,359,701. They held 2,672,067 in 2007.
