Edeymi leads great night for Martin
In 2011, Clements steered Colin Tizzard’s Oiseau de Nuit to land the Grand Annual at Prestbury Park, beating Robert Tyner’s Askethemaster.
He spent three full seasons in England, but has been constantly dogged by weight problems and decided to return home.
“It was hard when you hadn’t eaten for two weeks and then found you were still 7lbs too heavy”, said the delighted 27-year-old, who comes from Scarvagh, near Newry in Co Down.
Clements powered Edemyi ahead early in the straight and the Barathea gelding held on for dear life to hold Domination and another Martin inmate, Redera.
“I’m back home for good now and will try to get going here”, said Clements, who will have done his prospects of achieving just that no harm at all. “I went too soon, but knew he’d stay.”
Commented Martin: “I’m delighted for the little horse, he deserved that. It has taken a long time to get him right.
“He loves summer ground, wears a tongue-tie and cannot operate on the heavy. He didn’t have a hard race and could run again later in the week.”
It was a first in the race for Martin as a trainer, but he did win it as a rider aboard Coolcullen for Jim Bolger in 1987. Coolcullen actually got the contest in the stewards’ room.
Dermot Weld, who celebrated his 65th birthday yesterday, was immediately off the mark when saddling Diplomat to land the opening race of the festival, the galwaybayhotel.com Novice Hurdle.
He went of a very strong favourite and duly did the business for Ruby Walsh. Diplomat coasted ahead coming away from two out and only had to be bustled along on the flat to hold English challenger, Sky Khan, by a length.
“He did it nicely, but was a little too keen early on”, reported Weld. “He wasn’t as impressive as we expected, but if he relaxes better will perform better.”
Diplomat is in the opener at Galway tonight and Weld will wait to see how he is this morning before deciding whether to allow him take his chance.
The Rosewell House maestro was on the mark again when Mustajeeb streaked away with the claregalwayhotel.ie EBF Maiden, the 22nd time he has won this particular race.
The Nayef colt was soon taken to the front by Pat Smullen and ran clear of Aidan O’Brien Friendship in the straight to score by two and a half lengths.
“He’s a real nice horse and I see him as Group class”, said Weld. “The plan was to sit second to Friendship, but that had to be changed!”
Weld was expected to land a treble with his well-touted newcomer, Marty’s Magic, in the Bumper, but he went under by three parts of a length to Willie Mullins’ Wicklow Brave.
Marty’s Magic travelled like a dream through the contest, but didn’t find a whole lot once Patrick Mullins asked the winner to buckle down in the last furlong.
There was some close riding between the first three in the closing stages, but an alteration to the placings, following a stewards’ inquiry, was never a possibility, even though the investigation seemed to take an eternity.
Said Patrick: “When he got to the front he was looking at the crowd.” Mullins was then found guilty of careless riding and suspended for four days.
Barry Geraghty guided Colm Murphy’s Aladdins Cave to a smooth success in the Sean Burgess Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
Geraghty was in no hurry, producing Aladdins cave in the straight to prove two lengths too good for the flattering Admiral Hawke.
“I’m absolutely delighted”, said Murphy. “He’s been running well of late and I thought had a good chance, but Galway being Galway everything has to go right.
“He’s in here over a mile and a half on Wednesday, so we’ll see. He’s in later in the week as well.”
Andy Oliver’s Target Acquired put up a terrific display to defy the massive burden of 10-5 in the claytonhotelgalway.ie Handicap.
He had won at Down Royal just three days earlier and was given a superb drive by Chris Hayes.
Target Acquired made a lot of the running and kept finding, as a wall of horses tried to close him down near the line.
“He was very tough, under a huge weight”, said Oliver. “I’ve never seen Chris come to me with such a big saddle.”
Tony Martin, who hit the jackpot in the feature with Edeymi, completed a double when Dark Crusader took the Galway Oyster Hotel Handicap.
She won in a canter at Killarney, but was bumped up a whopping 19lbs and there was every reason to believe that would stop her.
But not a bit of it, as Fran Berry swept the daughter of Cape Cross through with a surging late run to beat Lady Giselle by a head.
Berry, though, was suspended for one day for his use of the whip, not allowing his mount sufficient time to respond.
As well as that, Lady Giselle was subsequently disqualified from second, after her rider, Gary Carroll, failed to draw the correct weight.
* The attendance last night was 17,989 compared to 17,710 last year.
