Colgan lands Martin more Galway success aboard Orandi
28-7-26 Galway.
Trainer Tony Martin, who has won four Galway Hurdles, bagged a first COLM QUINN BMW Mile when Robbie Colgan brought 16/1 shot Orandi with a powerful run up the inside to land Tuesday night’s Galway feature.
Third in this race 12 months ago, off an 8lb higher mark, and winless since landing last season’s Irish Lincoln, the eight-year-old triumphed by a length and three-quarters from favourite Pierre Royale, with Jagged Edge and three-year-old Hardy Warrior staying on for third and fourth respectively.
“This is brilliant - after the two Lincolns last year, we came here without a prep,” explained Tony Martin. “Luckily, we got it right this time. And it’s brilliant for the two lads (owners C J Murtagh and Bertie Hourihane). Everyone makes plans and this has come off for us.
“Robbie was excellent on him – he’s the most under-rated rider in the country. He got there in plenty of time – there’s only one winning-post, especially in Galway.”
Confirming that Orandi had a stone-bruise as recently as last Wednesday, the trainer thanked the Slevins in Rathmolyon for treating him.
And winning rider Robbie Colgan, the quiet man of the jockeys’ room, added: “I got 15 or 20 instructions from Tony and didn’t follow any of them. I got a nice spot on the inside. I was worried coming down the hill but, when we hit the rising ground, he came on the bridle and picked up well. It’s great to ride a big winner for Tony – he’s been very good to me all my career.”
Ado McGuinness, denied in the feature with Pierre Royal, enjoyed compensation when recent Naas winner Eddie G landed the caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap for a local syndicate including the Connolly family from nearby Castlegar.
The 7/2 favourite was a 50th winner of the domestic season for champion-jockey Dylan Brown McMonagle.
A promising fourth to Alpha on her debut at the Curragh, Samnina captured the two-year-old fillies maiden, swooping late under Shane Foley to get the better of Ballydoyle hope Madam Secretary.
“She needed every yard of the seven furlongs up the hill,” stated Jessica Harrington. “She’s a lovely, big, strong filly and I’m delighted with her. She got left behind coming down the hill but stretched when they straightened up. She’ll step into a mile stakes race now and might end up in Paris in the autumn (in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac).”
Gordon Elliott struck for the first time at the 2026 festival, as both owner and trainer, when Lizzi Twigg followed up Down Royal bumper and Roscommon maiden hurdle wins by taking the listed COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle.
The 5/2 shot, who is still for sale, took command at the final flight before beating Fastnet Crystal by two and a half lengths, prompting Elliott to comment, “She’s a nice mare and should be unbeaten – I ran her back too soon in Punchestown. She’s not a mare for winter ground, more like a mare for the spring. She’ll probably go to Down Royal for the Grade 3 mares race at the end of October.”
Trainer Denis Hogan admitted: “I over-faced him a couple of times in Grade 1 novices – he was fourth in Aintree and went up 10lb, so we probably left a good handicap behind,” after Frankie John made a successful start to his chasing career in the Latin Quarter Beginners Chase.
Having tracked Eclipse Chaser, the grey edged ahead at the second last and stayed on up the hill to beat Bowensonfire.
Hogan added: “I schooled him on the Curragh last week and he jumped great, but the man on board today (Dan King) is as good a rider as there is in the jockeys’ room.
“He likes nice ground and we’ll try to find a nice ‘novice’ for him in the autumn – we might even think about the (Grade 1) ‘Drinmore’. Two and a half miles is probably his trip. And he might be one for a nice novice handicap in the spring.”
Ben Coen savoured a welcome change of luck on board 96-rated Sindagan, trained by his boss Johnny Murtagh, in the seven-furlong maiden at the expense of Almeiyda, also in the familiar Aga Khan colours.
A Galway Plate hero on Ballyholland back in 2009, Andrew McNamara trained his first festival winner when Tell Us This took the COLM QUINN BMW Handicap Chase, also a first Galway winner for Conor Stone-Walsh.
And the Conor O’Dwyer-trained Lady Arwen (Billy Lee), up 7lb. for a win in Ballinrobe last week, overcame a slow start before swooping late to beat favourite San Aer in the concluding Caulfield Industrial Handicap.
