Double joy for Hoban

On a night when apprentice Conor Hoban took the riding honours with a double, the Jim Bolger-trained three-year-old Livia Galilei landed the Connacht Oaks in Sligo last night.

The Galileo filly, in the colours of owner-breeder Kevin Molloy, edged ahead over two furlongs from home and stayed on bravely to land the spoils by a length and a half from Tantalising with Dare To Doubt in third.

Livia Galilei has a 100% record for last night’s winning rider Rory Cleary, who said: “She handles that ground and loves that trip. She’s a nice, genuine filly that keeps going, just what was required out there. She’s an uncomplicated filly and likes being ridden handy. She’s been good to me and won well tonight.”