NEWMARKET-on-Fergus trainer John Brassil hit the jackpot at Ballybrit last week when registering a memorable success as the 10/1 shot Novel Investment landed the Tote Telebet 1850 238 669 Handicap Hurdle on Galway Plate day.
Unlucky at Limerick, where a stumble on the landing side of the penultimate flight of hurdles almost certainly cost him victory on his previous outing, Novel Investment more than made up for that lapse when scoring for his connections on such a high-profile afternoon.
Jockey Tom Doyle was on board the son of Taipan, who travelled really well throughout the two-and-a-half mile contest. Heading into the dip for the final time, Doyle was edging closer and shortly after the second-last, he sent the nine-year-old into the lead. From here, there was no denying Brassil’s charge, who powered up the hill to beat 7/2 favourite, Mr Bones, by three and half lengths.
There was a further Clare connection to this success as Crusheen publican Brian Clarke and his cousin, Ballinruan dog enthusiast John Clune, are both members of the Ten Men & A Lady Syndicate that own Novel Investment.
A delighted Brassil, who does really well with the team of horses he trains at his Lisduff yard, revealed, “We felt he would have won only for what happened him at Limerick and that gave us a bit of encouragement coming here. He has been a great horse for us and is a model of consistency. Originally, I had hoped to run this horse on the Monday evening and again on Saturday but the conditions of Monday’s race changed and this opportunity was more suitable. I’m thrilled for the winning syndicate, who have been very patient with this horse.”
Novel Investment goes up 9Ib for his latest victory to a revised rating of 117 over hurdles and the upcoming festivals at Killarney and Listowel will now be firmly on his agenda.
Leading owner JP McManus witnessed his colours carried to success as his Finger On The Pulse bounced back to form to land Wednesday’s www.thetote.com Galway Plate under a typically forceful ride from visiting UK champion, Tony McCoy.
McCoy was originally down to partner McManus’ Dancing Tornado but when his trainer, Michael Hourigan, had to withdraw his horse on the day due to lameness, the multiple champion took over from Mark Walsh aboard Tom Taaffe’s 22/1 outsider.
The late switch paid dividends for McCoy, who earned his first Plate success when giving Finger On The Pulse a brilliant ride to beat Willie Mullins’ Themoonandsixpence (Paul Townend) by half a length. The winner, who won the Jewson at Cheltenham in 2008 when owned by Conor Clarkson, was purchased by McManus in the interim and the nine-year-old repaid that faith when giving the Limerick man his fourth success as an owner in the race.
“I first won this event back in 1978 and that is four decades ago. If I was asked which race in Ireland I would most want to win, I would say the Galway Plate,” said a delighted McManus.
Thursday’s Guinness Galway Hurdle went for export as Donald McCain’s UK raider Overturn ran his rivals ragged to claim this two-mile contest.
Top jockey Graham Lee, who was born just two miles from the track at Mervue but was riding his first winner over the course, popped Overturn straight into the lead in this competitive two-miler and the result was never in doubt as the pair fought off all challengers en route to a hugely impressive five and a half length success over last year’s winner Bahrain Storm.
This was a first festival winner for McCain, whose father, Ginger, will always be associated with the Grand National exploits of three-time winner Red Rum.
There was also plenty of local success at the festival for Galway owners with Tom Howley, whose Athenry firm manufacture the Easyfix hurdles that are in use at Ballybrit, seeing his colours carried to success aboard Ask Jack in Tuesday’s featured Topaz Mile.
Chris Hayes did the steering here for Ask Jack’s County Tipperary trainer Joe Murphy and the well-backed 9/1 shot received a huge reception from his local followers when returning to the winners’ enclosure. The following afternoon it was the turn of John Earls to lead in a winner as his Hoopy, trained in County Meath by Gordon Elliott, just lasted home under an all-out drive from Paul Carberry to land Wednesday’s three-mile hurdle. The same connections were back in the number one spot following the opening race on Thursday as Chicago Grey (4/1) stuck his neck out gamely for Carberry to defeat 100/30 favourite Prince Erik by a short-head in the opening beginners’ chase.
Friday evening’s feature, the Guinness Handicap was won by Japan Cup runner-up Pop Rock, while Saturday’s Low Low Handicap gave Dublin trainer Ado McGuinness big-race success as his 14/1 shot Toufan Express carried Fran Berry to victory. Sunday afternoon’s showpiece was the Connacht Tribune Handicap Chase, where bottom-weight Banna Man did the business for Tipperary trainer Thomond O’Mara and lightweight jockey Bryan Cooper.
Yet again, the week at Ballybrit was an outstanding success. Despite the uncertain economic climate at present, crowd numbers for the week were up on last year. A total of 150,767 fans passed through the turnstiles over the seven days, marking an increase of 7,626 from 2009. Thursday’s session was the busiest by far with the afternoon, which has the added bonus of being Ladies Day, attracting over 44,000 people to the hugely-popular western venue. Robbie McNamara, who rode four winners at the meeting, was crowned leading National Hunt rider for the week. Pat Smullen claimed the flat title with five wins.

Weld’s record breaking 11 wins

DERMOT Weld enjoyed yet another Galway bonanza last week with the Curragh handler taking the leading trainer at the track for the 26th time, having trained 11 winners at the meeting for the first time.
Weld’s previous best was 10 wins, which he achieved on five occasions – 1993, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2008 – but he surpassed that with success number 11 of the week when newcomer Masdar stormed to victory under in-form jockey Robbie McNamara in Saturday’s evening’s bumper.
Weld’s affinity with Ballybrit stretches back to when he rode Spanner to win the big amateur handicap when he was just 15 years of age.
He has been the leading trainer at this fixture 26 times and trained his first winner at the track in 1972. To mark his contribution to the festival, Weld has now been made an honorary member of Galway Race Committee.
Speaking in the aftermath of Masdar’s record-breaking success, the master of Rosewell House conceded, “It has been a great week, one to certainly remember for me and my staff here at Galway. All my horses have run very well and all have been given excellent rides by their jockeys. It is fantastic to have surpassed my own record and I am very proud to do so. Galway has always been a special place for me and will, hopefully, continue to be for a long time to come.”
Pressed on the reasons for his great strike-rate at the track, Weld continued, “You need a certain type of horse to do well around here. They have to have balance and speed. while a good jockey is vital too.
“My horses have been running well all year and have performed excellently here this week.”