Royal Rendezvous goes one better with Galway Plate victory for Mullins and Townend

Jockey Paul Townend celebrates after winning the Tote Galway Plate Steeplechase on Royal Rendezvous during day three of the Galway Races Summer Festival at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

A shade unlucky when second to Early Doors in last year’s Tote Galway Plate, Royal Rendezvous refused to be denied a second time, digging deep to repel stablemate Easy Game and Modus in Wednesday’s Ballybrit feature.

Always towards the head of affairs, the Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old jumped impeccably with the exception of the second last and responded to Paul Townend’s every urge to land the spoils at odds of 5-1.