GORDON ELLIOTT HAD to wait until the feature race of Day 3 of the festival to claim his first winner in this year’s Galway Races and it arrived this evening from an unlikely source.
Clarcam, with jockey Mark Enright on board, eased to victory in the Galway Plate, the feature race at Ballybrit, with the 33/1 shot a comfortable winner.
After starting strongly, Clarcam hit the front after Drumcliff fell six out and while the gap closed after the last, Enright still steered the winner home by six lengths.
Favourite Patrick’s Park, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh, was second with Elliott training the third-placed Jury Duty and Snow Falcon finished fourth for Noel Meade.
Clarcam wins the 2018 Galway Plate with some ease, ridden home by Mark Enright - It's Gordon Elliot's first win of the week pic.twitter.com/1cyDDa9Cyk
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) August 1, 2018
It was the third year in a row that a Gigginstown-trained horse claimed this prize and a delighted Enright, a Limerick native, savoured the victory afterwards as the latest highlight of a great sporting week.
“I don’t wing big races. It’s great you know and very grateful to the O’Learys for letting me ride him.
“It’s been a great week, I was in Croke Park on Sunday when Limerick won the hurling. Another couple of weeks, it could be mighty.”
"This is special. I don't win big races!" - Mark Enright speaks after winning the 2018 Galway Plate on Clarcam pic.twitter.com/GobPrS5R3A
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) August 1, 2018
Earlier this evening Mullins trained 11/8 favourite Diamond Hill to victory while Rachael Blackmore was on board 10/1 shot Black Key for Henry De Bromhead, that triumphed in TheTote.com Handicap Hurdle, and there was success for Jessica Harrington with 33/1 shot Rovetta in the Tote Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle.
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