Goodwood Galaxy ran a race full of promise to finish fourth as a 25-1 shot in the Coral Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.
Trained by David Menuisier, Goodwood Galaxy was a relatively cheap purchase at 45,000 guineas as a yearling but hails from the family of last year’s Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel and had made a winning debut at Salisbury late last month.
Swiftly hiked to Group Two company, Goodwood Galaxy was last approaching the final furlong but stayed on with real purpose to beaten just over two lengths by winner Zavateri, offering plenty of hope for the future at this seven-furlong trip and beyond.
An emotional Hollie Doyle paid tribute to her long-time ally Trueshan, after Flat racing lost one of its enduring stars at Goodwood on Tuesday when the hugely popular stayer suffered a fatal injury.
Doyle was riding Alan King’s nine-year-old for the fourth time in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, having won it in 2021, with the gelding taking part in the 35th outing of a stellar career, but pulled up sharply at halfway.
Remembering some of their great days together, which brought 11 victories, including three successive triumphs in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day, Doyle told the PA news agency: “I’m just devastated. It couldn’t be any worse. He was a special, special horse, I can’t think of anything else to say.
“I am gutted. He’s been amazing for me, a star, and those memories we have together are some of my very best.”
Trueshan put up one of the best weight-carrying performances of all time in the Northumberland Plate (Richard Sellers/PA)
A 16-time winner – three of them coming at Group One level – Trueshan had attracted a following that is unusual for a Flat horse due to his longevity.
In 2022 he dropped into handicap company to defy one of the highest marks in recent times when winning the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.
Hollie Doyle and Trueshan were a match made in heaven (Steven Paston/PA)
James Given, the British Horseracing Authority’s director of equine welfare, told ITV Racing: “I want to express my sincere condolences to all the connections and anyone associated with the horse, no one is going to feel this more than them.
“He’s been a stalwart, he’s been a firm friend, he’s been everything to them
“What has happened unfortunately is just an accident, mid-race, in a straight line going up a hill. His left-hind pastern broke and left him in a situation that wasn’t recoverable from.
“Alan was able to get down there and assess him with the vet and they felt there was no option really but to put him down.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2.61216241-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2025-07-29 15:22:452025-07-29 15:22:45‘Devastated’ Hollie Doyle pays tribute to Trueshan
Field Of Gold bids to continue his sensational summer when he meets his elders for the first time in the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes.
Narrowly denied Classic glory in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, John and Thady Gosden’s grey has made no mistake in two subsequent starts, demonstrating his dazzling acceleration in both the Irish Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
His sire Kingman landed both of those Group One events before completing his hat-trick in this race 11 years ago and Field Of Gold is odds-on to follow suit in the hands of William Buick, who takes over in the saddle from the suspended Colin Keane.
“The horse is athletic, he’s got great balance, and hopefully he’ll handle the track well. It’s very different to the round mile of Ascot or the Curragh, that’s for sure,” said John Gosden.
“He does have that great turn of foot, let’s hope we get a clear run and he can produce it on the day.
“His father won the Sussex in somewhat cheeky fashion, it was an extraordinary race. They literally crawled, then sprinted in the last two furlongs, and fortunately we got it just right on the line.”
Field Of Gold renews rivalry with St James’s Palace runner-up Henri Matisse, who had previously landed the French 2000 Guineas for Aidan O’Brien.
Henri Matisse takes on Field Of Gold again (Brian Lawless/PA)
The Wootton Bassett colt has three and a half lengths to find with the hot favourite from their Royal Ascot meeting and O’Brien is keeping his fingers crossed he can at least close the gap.
“So far everything has gone well since Ascot and we’re looking forward to seeing him run,” he said.
“We think he’s gone the right way since Ascot.”
The older brigade is headed by Docklands and Rosallion, who were split by just a nose when second in the Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal meeting.
Harry Eustace, the trainer of Docklands, said: “The track should suit him. He has run there before (in 2023) and to the eye was a little disappointing, but it was his first run off the back of his win in the Britannia and, in hindsight, I don’t know whether I had him 100 per cent.
“He handled Epsom well, so I have no problem with the cambers at Goodwood. The quality of the race might be another matter.
“It can’t be overstated how important he’s been for us for the last three years. We’ll cherish his two wins at Royal Ascot forever.
“We’re a relatively young business and he is by a long way our flagship horse – he has been key to everything that’s happened since.”
Meanwhile, Richard Hannon will be looking to replicate some of the great days his father enjoyed in this race with the likes of Canford Cliffs and Toronado as he runs his stable star Rosallion.
Sean Levey aboard Rosallion after winning at Royal Ascot last year (John Walton/PA)
Like Field Of Gold, the son of Blue Point suffered defeat in the 2000 Guineas before landing Classic honours in Ireland and then scoring at Royal Ascot and his loyal pilot Sean Levey is relishing this mouthwatering clash of generations.
He told Ladbrokes: “There’s no doubt Field Of Gold is going to be very difficult to beat, based on what we’ve seen of him so far. He’s an exceptional horse, but I think we have the right attributes to take him on.
“He’s a four-year-old this year which means he has to give away weight, but he’s improved with every run, in my opinion, from the Lockinge to just being denied at Ascot in the Queen Anne. He’s improved, as good horses do, and I know he’s in a really good place coming into this.
“To be fair, I think we were very unlucky to be denied in the Queen Anne by what was literally the flare of a nostril and he ran into a specialist in Docklands, who was very good on the day.
“But Goodwood is a different story altogether and Rosallion is a good horse who has shown his versatility across a number of racetracks.”
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Flat racing lost one of its enduring stars at Goodwood on Tuesday, with the hugely popular Trueshan suffering a fatal injury.
Alan King’s nine-year-old was running in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup for a fourth time, having won it in 2021, and was taking part in the 35th outing of a stellar career. But he was pulled up by Hollie Doyle at the halfway point of the two-mile feature.
James Given, the British Horseracing Authority’s director of equine welfare, told ITV Racing: “I want to express my sincere condolences to all the connections and anyone associated with the horse, no one is going to feel this more than them.
Trueshan put up one of the best weight-carrying performances of all time in the Northumberland Plate (Richard Sellers/PA)
“He’s been a stalwart, he’s been a firm friend, he’s been everything to them
“What has happened unfortunately is just an accident, mid-race, in a straight line going up a hill. His left-hind pastern broke and left him in a situation that wasn’t recoverable from.
“Alan was able to get down there and assess him with the vet and they felt there was no option really but to put him down.”
Hollie Doyle and Trueshan were a match made in heaven (Steven Paston/PA)
A 16-time winner – three of them coming at Group One level – Trueshan had attracted a following that is unusual for a Flat horse due to his longevity.
In 2022 he dropped into handicap company to defy one of the highest marks in recent times when winning the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.
He struck up a famous partnership with Hollie Doyle, who rode him to 11 of his victories, including three successive triumphs in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on British Champions Day.
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Scandinavia got the better of stablemate Illinois in a thrilling finish to the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes, in a race overshadowed by a fatal injury to the veteran Trueshan.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained stable companions dominated the betting, so while Scandinavia was discarded by Ryan Moore, Wayne Lordan’s mount was still only a 4-1 shot following his victory in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket.
Illinois attempted to make all but Scandinavia drew upsides over a furlong out and the two had it between them, with the concession of 14lb ultimately proving too much for Moore’s mount, who went down by three-quarters of a length. Sweet William stayed on for a never-nearer third.
O’Brien immediately signalled the St Leger at Doncaster as the big aim for his winner.
“Wayne gave him a lovely ride – in the race at Ascot (Queen’s Vase) he was trapped six wide all the way and then at Newmarket Ryan said he felt like a very good horse,” he said.
“Illinois went out there in front and looked to have the race won, but then the other horse got him.
“We went to the Gold Cup (with Illinois) without a preparation and I know we haven’t seen the best of him.
“Scandinavia is a typical Justify, he just won’t lie down, he puts his head down and won’t be beaten.
Winning connections following the Goodwood Cup (PA)
“Lambourn didn’t go to the King George as we had one eye on York for him. It’s all out in the open and this horse is ready made for the Leger, which is where he will go.
“He (Scandinavia) travelled very well through the race, he has a great mind. Lambourn can go for the Voltigeur and then maybe for the Arc.”
O’Brien was also pleased with the performance of the runner-up, feeling his best is still to come.
He added: “I thought Ryan did everything perfect today on Illinois. He was out there and had the race won, and then the other horse just came and got him.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Illinois yet because I think we went to the Gold Cup a year too early and his preparation wasn’t right to win a Gold Cup.
“He ran an unbelievable race, and he’ll have the rest of the season, but often when that happens it can stop the progression you would really want to come. I really think we haven’t seen the best of him yet.”
Alan King’s hugely popular Trueshan, winner of the race in 2021, was pulled up sharply by Hollie Doyle at halfway, with news sadly emerging his injury had proved to be a fatal one.
Of the placed horses, Josh Gosden said of Sweet William: “He ran a very brave race and we couldn’t be more pleased with him. He’ll go to York and Doncaster now.
“A galloping track suits him, maybe a fiddly one like this doesn’t. Aidan’s runners controlled the early easy fractions. When they do that they are very hard to catch.”
Sunway was for fourth for locally-based David Menuisier, who said: “He was beaten fair and square, but he stays well and did his best. There was no excuse. He is just behind the best at a mile and a half to two miles. As long as Aidan turns up we will be settling for the places. I am thinking he could go for the Prix Kergorlay and maybe the Cadran, try to meet the French rather than the British.”
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John and Thady Gosden’s Morris Dancer took a significant stride forward when narrowly beaten in the Coral Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.
The Godolphin-owned son of Palace Pier was a winner when last seen in a Haydock novice, but with rivals proven at Group level, he was a 22-1 shot under William Buick.
Those odds meant little to him as he chased home Eve Johnson Houghton’s Zavateri, missing out by just a short head on the line.
John Gosden said: “We are thrilled with him, he has run a great race. He won at Haydock and then just had a little niggle and cough. So we backed off and he has come here off the minimum work and run a great race.
“That’s the July Stakes form, with the winner by an old friend of ours in Without Parole. Morris Dancer is by Palace Pier so it is nice to see your old pals in Group Two races like this.
“William said don’t be frightened to step up to a mile with him and we will do that somewhere.”
Ed Walker is not inclined to lower the sights of Do Or Do Not after his third-placed run under Tom Marquand, the latest in a string of placings in highly-competitive races.
“He’s a star, isn’t he? He just doesn’t know how to win yet, annoyingly!” said Walker.
“I actually thought today he was coming in to win but it was just greenness and whatever you want to call it, he was wandering around a little bit. He seems to find a way of not winning, which is frustrating.
“I think we’ll go for something easier but I don’t think we need to go for a maiden or a novice. The horse who was second in the Chesham (Thesecretadversary) was then beaten at 2-13 in one, it happens.
“There’s nothing to gain, he doesn’t need to win a maiden or a novice.
“He is a really solid horse and we are throwing the kitchen sink at him. He keeps answering. We might just try to find a slightly lower race – not a maiden because there isn’t any point – to give him some confidence.”
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Hollie Doyle was at her brilliant best to steer Witness Stand to HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes success and give Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole a marquee Group Two victory at Goodwood.
There was early drama as Ralph Beckett’s race regular and leading fancy Kinross was withdrawn at the start after receiving a kick, while Ed Walker’s Royal Ascot winner Noble Champion was eased down and pulled up early into the piece.
However, Doyle avoided any complications as she latched Witness Stand on to the small cluster to go forward from start, always in the slipstream of customary front-runner Quinault and defending champion Audience.
It looked momentarily like Audience would recreate last year’s heroics, but the 25-1 winner found plenty in reserve inside the final furlong to gallop home two-and-three-quarter-lengths clear of William Haggas’ Lake Forest, the only runner to emerge from the chasing pack late on.
Insole said: “As a trainer you wait your whole life for a good horse and to win the Lennox is pretty incredible.
“We bought him for a hundred grand and felt he’d gone under the radar as there were higher offers for him that came our way afterwards. I already had this race in mind for him.
“It was his Chester run (second in a Listed race) that gave us the confidence to come here, and when I saw the rain this morning and the slower ground I knew it would be to his advantage.
“He’s in the Hungerford (at Newbury), but would have to carry a penalty now. I also put him in the Foret this morning.”
For co-trainer Newland it was a red-letter day in his new venture alongside Insole training on the level alongside his Grand National heroics in the jumps sphere. He is also a part-owner of the winner.
Newland said: “It’s a great result and fair play to Jamie and all the team. It was a lovely ride from Hollie in a funny sort of race, but I’m not complaining.
“Jamie leads the Flat team day-to-day, but I am involved in the background and discussing the training and placing of horses.
“I’m also a part-owner of that horse so it’s a terrific result. He was bought to be a flag bearer due to his high rating and it was a superb bit of purchasing by Jamie and Matt Holdsworth at the sales and now we’ve had a payday to get some money back and give us a high-profile winner which is fabulous.”
He added: “It’s more than dipping our toe in and we’re more of a Flat yard now. There’s a number of reasons for that but I’m loving the new challenge of it and it’s quite a big thing to try and re-establish yourself as a Flat yard after being a jumps yard for so long.
“I’m thrilled with how it’s going and we’ve some lovely horses coming through. It’s great fun and I’ve been doing the job 20 years so it’s nice to have a new challenge.”
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Eve Johnson Houghton’s Zavateri gamely maintained his unbeaten record when defying a penalty in holding off Morris Dancer in the Coral Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.
A surprise winner of the July Stakes at Newmarket, he was still a fairly generous 8-1 for this Group Two affair, mainly due to the fact he was carrying 3lb more than such promising types as Humidity and Dorset.
Charlie Bishop still had five in front of him with two furlongs to run, but when the gap came he shot through it and while immediately challenged by John and Thady Gosden’s Morris Dancer, he stuck his neck out and had his head in the right place on the line. The Ed Walker-trained Do Or Do Not placed yet again in third.
Zavateri was tough (PA)
“After Newmarket I didn’t know where to go because when you have a 3lb penalty it’s damn hard,” said Johnson Houghton.
“It was either come here or wait until Doncaster, but so glad we did. He had to win his race twice after cutting through them like a knife through butter.
“I put him in the Mill Reef this morning, but that’s out of the question now as we will head for the Dewhurst with the Jean-Luc Lagardere as a back up.
“He’s never had to tough it out at home, but he did today. What a dude he is, just a lovely, lovely horse.
“Dad (Fulke Johnson Houghton) trained (2002 Dewhurst winner) Tout Seul when I was around, and he was brilliant, but this one would be better, I think. There’s nowhere to go now before the Dewhurst so we’ll have to wait for that.”
Zavateri looks the part (PA)
Bishop added: “It’s a massive performance with a penalty. We’re getting closer, step by step (to thinking about the 2000 Guineas), I don’t know how much more racing he’ll have this year but the Dewhurst will be where we work back from, after that then I think we can talk about the Guineas. He’s seen the seven out extremely well today, headed and rallied and was strong at the line.”
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Westridge continued his progression with a wide-margin win in the Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap at Goodwood.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by Billy Loughnane, the four-year-old has been faring well in handicaps recently and started a 6-1 chance in a field of 18.
From stall eight he hit his stride quickly and after a prominent passage through the race he took up the lead in the final furlong, then pulling clear of the chasing pack to score by an eventual three and a quarter lengths.
“He enjoyed the space around him today and Billy gave him a lovely ride. It is not easy in a big handicap field but he broke well and made use of him,” said John Gosden.
“He is owned by Glen Manchester, my wife and Nicholas Wrigley, so it’s a proper partnership.
“We did have him in the July sales but wisely we chose to take him out three days before the sale, thank God we did that.
“He’s a grand horse and he’s done well, the handicapper will get him now but to win the Chesterfield Cup is a dream come true because Glen is very much Goodwood orientated.
“It’ll have to be York now though I’m not sure which race, Mr Wrigley will demand it. Rachel is just the silent partner, she does whatever they want!”
Ruth Carr’s Brazen Bolt made the long journey from Yorkshire to Sussex worthwhile with success in the Coral Golden Rewards Shaker Handicap, where he prevailed by a nose at 28-1 under Warren Fentiman.
Peter Furr, Doncaster-based winning owner-breeder, said: “He has been an unbelievable horse. We have bred a few horses but nothing like him. He went to Bahrain and won last year and when he came back he was not very well.
“He had ulcers, a bad tummy, stress, everything. Me and my daughter got him back and had him on a nebuliser. We took him to Ruth this season and she has been fantastic.
“We didn’t expect to win at York last time and we came here today thinking it would be really firm ground and when it wasn’t we didn’t expect this again. It doesn’t happen to people like us.”
Stellar Sunrise got off the mark for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes.
The Space Blues colt had been placed in both starts prior to his Goodwood run, and that experience served him well as he came to the fore at 6-1 to win by a length and a quarter from evens favourite Naval Light.
“He had the experience, and I think the draw helped as well,” said Balding.
“He was given an astute ride, as the stands rail was definitely an advantage in a big field with these younger horses.
“He’d shown a fair level of form in his previous races, but he’s getting more streetwise and he was very professional today.
“We’ll look at nurseries now and we’ll find out more next Tuesday (when he is given a rating).”
Roger Varian’s Protest built on recent Listed efforts to make a winning handicap debut in the Ridgeview Fillies’ Handicap over a mile.
The Cheveley Park Stud owned and bred chestnut struck at 11-2, steered by Silvestre de Sousa to a one-length win.
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Cian Collins believes Harry Cobden will suit dual Cheltenham Festival winner Jazzy Matty down to the ground in Wednesday’s Tote Galway Plate.
The versatile six-year-old won the Fred Winter for Gordon Elliott before changing hands for €50,000 in February 2024, winning minor races at Wexford and Sligo for new connections before landing the Grand Annual back at Cheltenham in March.
He arrives fresh having had a break since Punchestown and with regular riders Jordan Gainford and Danny Gilligan required by Elliott, Cobden steps in.
“We’ve given him a break since Punchestown, he’s in good form and we’re looking forward to running him,” said Collins.
“He’s versatile, he runs over hurdles and fences, he gets this trip (two miles and six furlongs) and it looks like he should get his favoured good ground, which is a help.
“When I knew that Danny and Jordan weren’t going to be available, his regular jockeys, I just thought Harry Cobden would suit him as he’s a good horseman with plenty of experience in those big handicaps.
“He’s a horse who thrives in big fields, they suit him. I do think he’s a better horse at Cheltenham than anywhere else, mind. Hopefully Galway is a little bit similar with it’s undulations and always on the turn with a stiff finish.
“We’re going there hopeful, he’s in good form so if he runs his race, I think he’ll be bang there.”
Gilligan rides Western Fold, with Gainford on Shecouldbeanything. Elliott’s other runners are Three Card Brag, Zanahiyr, Down Memory Lane, Chemical Energy and Duffle Coat.
Joseph O’Brien’s Nurburgring won the Galway Hurdle 12 months ago and will aim to emulate Dermot Weld’s Ansar by winning both feature races, while Noel Meade’s Jesse Evans, twice runner-up in the Hurdle, aims to go one better in the Plate.
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Ameeq’s natural speed should be a huge asset to him at Goodwood when he takes his chance in the HKJC World Pool Molecomb Stakes, according to assistant trainer Adam Ryan.
The Mehmas colt ran a stormer in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot to come home fourth as a 100-1 shot and should find conditions on the Sussex Downs more to his liking.
Previous to that, he broke his maiden at Nottingham in fine style when beating Chairmanfourtimes, who has since franked that form with a victory of his own at Pontefract.
Ryan, who is assistant to his father, Kevin, said: “It was a fantastic race at Ascot.
“Probably a little bit unlucky with being drawn slightly on the wrong side. Obviously the winner (Charles Darwin) was very good.
“He did himself very proud there. He’s got a lot of natural speed so Goodwood should suit him.
“We don’t run horses at Ascot thinking they haven’t got a chance. The horse doesn’t know his odds and we thought he’d do himself proud and he did just that.”
Ryan will be double-handed with Dickensian trying his luck at Group level for the first time.
The son of Pinatubo found only Havana Hurricane too good in the Windsor Castle at the Royal meeting and heading to Goodwood was always the plan.
Ryan added: “He’s come out of Ascot well. He was a good second there, just getting caught late on, so the Molecomb was tagged up straight away to head to and he goes down there with a big chance.”
Charlie Appleby’s Military Code won his first two starts before disappointing in the Coventry Stakes. He bounced back to form at Sandown recently when beaten just a head by Staya.
“Military Code put up a good performance at Sandown, with the winner going on to run well at Ascot over the weekend. We highlighted this race straight after his last run and he goes there in good order,” Appleby told www.godolphin.com.
Ger Lyons sends Group Three scorer Lady Iman from Ireland after she lost her unbeaten record last time out in the Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh when racing too keenly.
Tim Easterby is represented by three-time winner Argentine Tango, who has some fine form behind Karl Burke’s star filly Venetian Sun.
“The ground is good which suits her, but she’s drawn in stall one which is not ideal, but what can you do. She should run well,” said Easterby.
“She’s been training very well into the race and we were very happy with her Newmarket performance behind Venetian Sun. She’s got seven others to beat though, but she’s going into it as well as she could be.”
David O’Meara runs Rogue Supremacy with Andrew Balding’s Sands Of Spain and David Simcock’s Rydale Frosty completing the line-up.
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The British Horseracing Authority has announced Lord Allen will start work in his post as chair of racing’s regulators from September 1.
The Labour peer was due to take up the role on June 2, but his tenure was delayed as the BHA said he wished to “continue meeting stakeholders to better inform his vision for the sport”.
The BHA board currently has an independent chair, four independent directors and four member-nominated directors – two from the racecourses and two nominated by the sport’s participants – but Allen wants to change that arrangement.
Following a meeting in London, where the BHA board met to discuss Allen’s response to the submissions of stakeholders regarding proposed governance changes, it was agreed that work should now start towards the establishment of a single independent board of directors, which will oversee a single BHA executive led by a CEO.
Lord Allen said: “I am delighted we have agreed to a process towards a new independent BHA board, and I look forward to formally starting in September.
“Horse racing has a strong future. There is work to do, but I am in no doubt as to the passion and commitment of the many thousands of people who make up our industry.”
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Filey Bay justified market support in recording an emotional victory in the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap at Galway.
The feature event on the first evening of the week-long festival at Ballybrit is restricted to amateur riders and it was Alan O’Sullivan – brother of the late Michael O’Sullivan, who tragically died in February following injuries suffered in a fall at Thurles – who shone in the saddle.
O’Sullivan had to weave a path to get a run on the JP McManus-owned gelding and when he did he fairly shot clear aboard Emmet Mullins’ 7-1 chance, with the winning jockey looking to the skies as he passed the line four and three-quarter lengths ahead of Mon Coeur.
“It’s unbelievable, my goal at the start of the year was to be good enough that someone might want me for this. He was looking down on me, I think,” said O’Sullivan.
“When I wanted the gaps, they came for me, I got a dream run. I probably went the brave man’s route, but I thought it’s what Mikey would have done. I had loads of horse, if I got any gap at all I had the horse to take it.
“I got a dream run and he galloped all the way to the line.”
Alan O’Sullivan celebrates with JP McManus (left) and trainer Emmet Mullins (Niall Carson/PA)
Mullins said: “It was meant to be and I’m a bit lost for words. It’s just magic.
“It was Michael’s saddle that Alan was using today. Michael rode a few times for me here and I think we hit the crossbar twice, so Alan steadied the ship.
“It’s been a long enough road with the horse. We had him last season and I sent him home twice as I just wasn’t happy. Thankfully with JP the patience has paid off.
“Alan was keen to ride him, and I was keen to claim off him as well. For 7lb claimers you don’t need to look any further than Alan.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2.81128212.jpg9841969Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2025-07-28 17:58:312025-07-28 18:20:10‘It was meant to be’ – Filey Bay and Alan O’Sullivan star at Galway
Davy Crockett lived up to his regal breeding with a comprehensive victory in the Galway Bay Hotel & The Galmont Hotel Novice Hurdle.
The Willie Mullins-trained four-year-old is a son of dual Derby hero Camelot out of Champion Hurdle-winning mare Annie Power, making him a half-brother to dual Grade One victor Mystical Power, who landed this Galway Festival curtain-raiser two years ago.
Easy winner of a Punchestown bumper on his debut in early June, the 1-2 favourite to make a successful transition to the jumping game raised brief concerns for his supporters two out, but knuckled down well for Mark Walsh in the straight to beat Mick Collins by two and a half lengths.
Mullins said: “I was very happy with how efficient his jumping was except, for the mistake at the second-last. For a horse having his first run over hurdles and just the second run of his career, I was very pleased with him.
“We’ll just keep going down the novice hurdle route and hopefully he might make into a Royal Bond horse. He could go to Listowel before then.”
Mullins also paid tribute to training great Edward O’Grady, who died on Sunday at the age of 75.
He added: “Edward was someone that back in the day we looked up to. He was the foremost trainer going to Cheltenham – when no one (from Ireland) was having runners or winners in Cheltenham, he was having one or two of them every year.
“People forget how difficult it was for Irish trainers to bring horses across and win and Edward had fantastic horses. He had a great Galway connection of course with Golden Cygnet, owned by Ray Rooney who was chairman here in Galway.
“He’ll be sorely missed in Irish racing.”
Davy Crockett is owned by JP McManus, who also paid tribute to O’Grady, with whom he had a long association.
McManus said: “No doubt he was an amazing trainer. I went to him in ’78.
“I remember Jack Of Trumps won in Punchestown as a five-year-old carrying 12st in the Jameson Gold Cup which was a handicap then.
“We went on to win the Galway Plate that year in ’78 (with Shining Flame).
“We had many great days with the likes of Bit Of A Skite, Mucklemeg and Time For A Run.
“Edward was always very good to his staff and very kind to everybody.
“When Edward fancied a horse you didn’t need to have money, all you needed to have was credit because they nearly always delivered. His record was second to none at that time.
“He was a great judge of a horse and he will be missed.”
Elsewhere, Constitution River confirmed the promise of his debut run to land the Eventus Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden with real authority.
Contrary To Law attempted to keep tabs on Aidan O’Brien’s runner up front, but he was shrugged off with some ease, as were the rest, as the imposing Wootton Bassett colt powered to a three-and-three-quarter-length triumph under Wayne Lordan, as odds of 1-5 suggested he would.
A €400,000 purchase as a yearling, the winner – who is out of a sister to the top-class racemare Wonderful Tonight – just missed out to the Charlie Appleby-trained Distant Storm at the Newmarket July meeting, when the pair were nicely clear of the third.
O’Brien’s representative Chris Armstrong said: “He had a very good run in a nice maiden in Newmarket and with normal improvement coming here you’d think he’d put up a good display.
“He was very green and Wayne said he was looking at the camera on his inside, but he went to the line with plenty still left in him. The experience around here will do him the world of good.
“He’s a colt with a touch of class and is one to look forward to going into the second half of the season. I suppose he puts himself into the Futurity mix with the rest of them and the lads will divide them up and see where they go.”
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