Galway Races: A day when favourites found one too good
But, plenty of support came for Shantou Flyer and he duly obliged. Available at 5-1 the night before, he was returned 11-4, beating the 2-1 market leader.
Rock The World was heavily backed in the second race, and the 9-10 favourite held every chance before finishing second behind Sizing Platinum (3-1).
In the absence of two fancied runners from the Dermot Weld stable, Rock Critic and Roachdale House, the third race was a wide-open betting affair. Princess Aloof had supporters, and the 6-1 shot stayed on strongly to score.
Weld’s Tested had been beaten at odds-on in the Corrib Fillies’ Listed Stakes in 2014 and punters weren’t keen to get their fingers burned again. Although sent off 2-1 favourite, she was easy to back. She looked a winner for much of the straight, but 5-1 chance Laviniad snatched victory.
When the market opened for the Guinness Novice Hurdle, Gangster was all the rage but he drifted late, as support came for Sandymount Duke. Backed from 6-1 to 4-1, the latter made every yard to complete a four-timer.
The Galway Hurdle was the feature event and two strongly supported horses filled the first two places, as 9-2 second favourite Quick Jack beat the gambled-on Max Dynamite. Bog War exploited a good mark on the Flat when justifying 5-2 favouritism in the Guinness 50th Anniversary Handicap.
The market took time to separate Prince D’Aubrelle (7-4) and Lieutenant (6-4) in the bumper, but the former proved clear best on the day, with the Some Tank (14-1 to 9-2) back in fourth.
The Tote recorded positive figures of €1,137,337, up from €996,844 in 2014, while the bookmakers had a similar increase, turning over €1,920,224 against €1,881,848.
Trainer standings: 5 Willie Mullins; 3 Dermot Weld, Henry De Bromhead, Jessica Harrington; 2 Sheila Lavery, David Wachman; 1, Aidan O’Brien, Matthew Smith, Michael O’Callaghan, Ado McGuinness, Harry Rogers, Garrett Power, Brian McMahon, Denis Hogan, Ger Lyons, Colin Bowe, Tony Martin, Liam Cusack.
