Galway four-timer glee for Dermot Weld

Ballybrit has always been a special place for Dermot Weld and the master of Rosewell House struck with a spectacular 636/1 four-timer at the Galway track last evening

Weld saddled a one-two with Zhukova and Almela in the listed Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes in addition to providing the Aga Khan and Pat Smullen with three winners, two-year-olds Ebediyin and Simannka and the three-year-old filly Alveena.

Weld captured the ‘Oyster’ for the first time since 2001 as 7/1 shot Zhukova, ridden by Galway man Leigh Roche, foiled even-money favourite Almela, the mount of stable-jockey Pat Smullen, by a head, with Ebayya a fast-finishing third. After the victory of Zhukova, a home-bred Fastnet Rock filly, Weld explained: “They are two very nice fillies and battled it out well. The winner ran a super race in Cork last time and, on their recent work, I knew there wouldn’t be much between them.