Oslot has bookies reeling in Plate romp
A plan that was hatched by the mighty Nicholls, and carried out to perfection by Walsh, had the bookmakers reeling, as the 11-4 market-leader powered four lengths clear of Oodachee.
The classy six-year-old could be mapped as the likely winner a long way from home, as he lobbed along almost effortlessly in the hands of his ultra-confident pilot.
Walsh had him in front before the second last and once safely at the back of the final fence, it really looked a case of how far he was going to win.
Oslot, however, did not run clear of the field in the manner one might have expected, he “idled’ according to Walsh, but still had loads left and was never in any danger of defeat.
Oodachee stayed on stoutly for second, with the great Ansar, who returned to a terrific reception, running yet another superb race at his favourite track, filling third.
For Nicholls it was a first ever winner at the Galway Festival. Hoo La Baloo, who fell in the Plate last year, was actually his first ever runner at the meeting.
Said Nicholls: “It’s a massive pot to win, this was the horse’s Gold Cup. After he won at Newton Abbot, we gave him three weeks off and then brought him back in again with this in mind.
“We had a great man aboard, who knows these courses so well. Aidan (O’Brien) comes across and takes all our prizes and I’m trying to do the reverse.
“He is a very versatile horse, who is only six and improving. I have no idea where he will go next, but deserves a month off after that.
“This was a good plan, which has come off. He will be entered in something like the Paddy Power (Cheltenham) in the autumn, but we will have plenty of others for that as well.”
For Walsh it was a second success in the Plate, to go with Moscow Express in 1999 for Frances Crowley.
“This is a great feeling, it’s a plan Paul had in his head for a while”, said Ruby. “I was worried I hit the front too soon.
“It was lonely in front and I was glad to get to the line in the end. It was a smashing training performance by Paul, he’s a great trainer.
“Oslot was brilliant, he jumped and travelled super. He idled and I didn’t know what was coming from behind.”
Oodachee ran a fine race in second, while Ansar was simply heroic in third. Dermot Weld later indicated he had no plans to retire the admirable 12-year-old. Well-backed Green Mile fell at the sixth.
The handicapper must have been literally gasping for breath after Weld’s Directa King had won the William Hill 1800 333 555 Handicap.
The ex-German horse simply laughed at the compiler to win by a massive 17 lengths and now faces an equally massive rise in the weights.
He was reluctant to load, but showed no such reluctance when it came to the art of racing, cruising ahead before the straight and then lengthening right away from the evergreen Cloone River.
“He’s a little bit quirky, but has progressed and improved for us”, reported Weld. “He was bought as a dual purpose horse and is obviously a nice one with which to go jumping.”
Weld was also on the mark with Lady Alicia in the William Hill Irish Sports’ Book Maiden, which brought up a notable milestone in an extraordinary career.
Lady Alicia gave him his 200th Festival winner at Galway, a magnificent achievement even by his own amazing standards.
Matt O’Connor was seen at his strongest on the daughter of Hawk Wing, forcing her up close home to beat Zarinava by half a length.
“That was a very good ride”, exclaimed Weld. “The plan was to take his time and Matt did it to perfection.” His first winner at the Festival was with a horse called Klairvimy in 1972.
Weld’s tally for the three days now stands at eight, so the question is can he equal, or top, his previous record of ten, which he has done four times.
Jessica Harrington saddled the first and third, Desert Abbey and Afasheen respectively, in the William Hill In Ireland Novice Hurdle and sandwiched in between them was Noel Meade’s heavily-backed favourite, Go Native.
That market-leader, 6-4 to 5-4, looked certain to score when ranging up pulling double over the opposition off the final bend.
But he looked far from generous when Niall Madden went for him and was simply outbattled on the level by Desert Abbey.
Commented Harrington: “We will try for black type with both fillies. I am delighted with Desert Abbey, she is coming right back to what she was 18 months ago. She is getting more confident in herself and should improve again.”
South African, Keagan Latham (20), rode his first winner at the Festival on Ger Lyons’ Invincible Joe in the the williamhillcasino.com Handicap.
Lyons has his charges in fine shape and the Fairyhouse maiden winner swept ahead up hill to the straight to easily beat Jack Travers.
It was a 15th in Ireland for Latham, who has a hundred winners to his credit in his native country. “It’s a privilege to ride a winner at this meeting”, said Latham.
Danny Grant, who rode fourth placed King Royal, was suspended for four days for careless riding.
Trainer, David Myerscough, was another to saddle a first Festival winner when Amarama landed the willliamhillarcade .com Maiden.
The daughter of Fraam shot away off the home turn too beat Dermot Weld’s Designated Decoy, who found a bit of trouble in running, but didn’t appear the most enthusiastic once in the clear.
Said Myerscough: “She’s been knocking on the door and deserved that.”
Clover Pearl, runner-up at Tralee previously, redeemed the promise of that effort with a game display in the williamhill.ie Handicap Hurdle.
Michael Cullen’s mare was driven to the front over the final flight by Paddy Flood to beat the flattering Ah Ya Boy Ya by three lengths.
David Marnane had his second winner of the meeting when Vanishing Causeway and Fran Berry swamped the opposition from the furlong pole to take the williamhillpoker.com Handicap by nine lengths.
The attendance was 25,537, marginally up on last year’s figure of 25,492. The Tote was down, however, at €1,292,364, from €1,537,559. The layers held €3,287,334, a reduction of €551,141 on a year ago.
