Carlingford leads home McManus 1-2-3 in Plate
He is, of course, owned by J P McManus — he had the first three home — after another who was due to sport those famous colours, Like A Style, was withdrawn.
Trained by John Kiely — enjoying his first win in the race — Carlingford Lough went off the 7-2 favourite, from 5-1 on course, and benefited greatly from an inspired Tony McCoy drive.
“I never dreamt I’d do it’, said the very popular and quietly spoken veteran Kiely, who has more than stood the test of time.
“It is great to have horses for Mr McManus, they are always good. He’s a horse who has had niggling problems and has just come right.
“We were going to run him at Killarney (July), but decided not to. He (McManus) just gives you the chance to do what you want.
“I was hoping to get a good day out of the horse, but he just kept going wrong. I’ve now won a Plate and the Hurdle twice, it can’t get much better than that. I think I’ll retire! He’s a horse you won’t see in the winter, the ground will be just too soft.’
Carlingford Lough was always in mid-division, but a mistake five out, and a bad one at the third last, did little to help his prospects.
But when the going gets tough the tough get going and McCoy got down and dirty and drove his charge for all he was worth.
Gradually, Carlingford Lough worked back into the contest, edged to the front early in the straight and kept finding to beat Quantitativeeasing and Jacksonslady, with the first non-McManus horse home, Muirhead, in fourth.
Said McCoy: “He had a tendency to jump to his left and I had to keep dragging him back.
“He missed the third last, because he couldn’t see it, but jumped the last two very well.
“John Kiely did a fantastic job, he had him spot on for the day. It is always a good ride when you win.
“The horse was tough and genuine. This is a very prestigious race and if you could win a Galway Plate every year you’d be happy. It was a bit of a slog, his light weight helped’
McManus was loud in his praise of McCoy. “That was never say die, I don’t think anyone else could have won in him’, he said.
McCoy previously won the race on Finger On the Pulse for Tom Taaffe three years ago, while it was a sixth for McManus, starting with Shining Flame in 1978.
And, going back for a second to the fact Like Your Style didn’t meet the engagement, there surely has to be something wrong with a system that allows a horse to be withdrawn on the basis of the ground, knowing it hasn’t caused him any great problem in the past.
