SEAN FLANAGAN TIMED his challenge to perfection to produce Grann’s Boy to win the Boyle Sports Handicap Hurdle, the feature race on the penultimate afternoon at Galway.
The six-year-old went sent off at 18-1 and raced prominently on the inside rail as Burning Ability pulled them along at the head of the field.
But as the race began to take shape between the final two obstacles, Flanagan moved the Harry Rogers-trained gelding to the outside and took over heading over the final flight before being pushed out to go on and win by six lengths from the staying-on Pinot Gris.
Rogers said: “He was in good shape coming here and it worked out well.
“The syndicate are with me a long time and they’re very lucky and loyal owners.
“I won this same race 28 years ago and this is great to come back and win here again. He is a proper little horse who will jump a fence as well.”
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Paul Brown, representing the winning owners, the Nap Racing Syndicate, said “There are 12 involved, mainly from Athlone and there is a Mayo man too. It is all about family with two outsiders and Harry has done an unbelievable job and been so good to us over the years.
“Darragh (O’Keeffe, jockey) got off him in Punchestown and said there was a big pot in the horse and between him and Sean, they are two brilliant jockeys.
“Harry is able to place them and targeted Galway.”
Fiveonefive (10-1) came from last to first to give Cian Collins a first ever Festival winner in the Boyle Sports Galway Tribes Handicap Hurdle.
Jack Kennedy was happy to switch the eight-year-old off at the rear of the field in the early stages but shook up the Dylan Thomas gelding as they straightened for home.
He angled his mount out and he began to make headway, hitting the front in the final 100 yards and staying on to win by half a length.
Collins said: “It was a masterclass from Jack and only for him, I don’t think he’d have won. I’ve known Jack since our pony racing days and we’ve had good fun through the years.
“He was the first horse I ever bought, he was initially one of three horses in my yard and is the yard favourite. He isn’t an easy horse and Ray Loftus has always ridden him out but he was cheap and I got two great owners Salvatore Giannini, from Wales, and Tony Lagan, from the north, involved.
“The horse has seen it all happen in my yard and this is my first Galway Festival winner, so to get one over the line is brilliant.”
Columbus will head to York and the Ebor after giving Willie Mullins his eighth winner of the Festival with a seven-and-a-half length victory in the Boyle Sports Best Odds Guaranteed Maiden Hurdle.
The five-year-old made all on just his second start over hurdles to justify 10-11 favouritism but was helped when closest challenger Golden Handshake unseated at the final flight.
Mullins said: “I thought he gave an exhibition of jumping for a horse having only his second run over hurdles.
“The Ebor in York is his next run and we’ll see how he gets on there but I’ll be looking at mixing a Flat/jumping campaign. We’ll see what happens on the Flat and if he looks good enough, we’ll pursue that, but I’d also like to have him for the spring festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree.”
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Flanagan shines on Grann’s Boy at Galway
SEAN FLANAGAN TIMED his challenge to perfection to produce Grann’s Boy to win the Boyle Sports Handicap Hurdle, the feature race on the penultimate afternoon at Galway.
The six-year-old went sent off at 18-1 and raced prominently on the inside rail as Burning Ability pulled them along at the head of the field.
But as the race began to take shape between the final two obstacles, Flanagan moved the Harry Rogers-trained gelding to the outside and took over heading over the final flight before being pushed out to go on and win by six lengths from the staying-on Pinot Gris.
Rogers said: “He was in good shape coming here and it worked out well.
“The syndicate are with me a long time and they’re very lucky and loyal owners.
Paul Brown, representing the winning owners, the Nap Racing Syndicate, said “There are 12 involved, mainly from Athlone and there is a Mayo man too. It is all about family with two outsiders and Harry has done an unbelievable job and been so good to us over the years.
“Darragh (O’Keeffe, jockey) got off him in Punchestown and said there was a big pot in the horse and between him and Sean, they are two brilliant jockeys.
“Harry is able to place them and targeted Galway.”
Fiveonefive (10-1) came from last to first to give Cian Collins a first ever Festival winner in the Boyle Sports Galway Tribes Handicap Hurdle.
Jack Kennedy was happy to switch the eight-year-old off at the rear of the field in the early stages but shook up the Dylan Thomas gelding as they straightened for home.
He angled his mount out and he began to make headway, hitting the front in the final 100 yards and staying on to win by half a length.
Collins said: “It was a masterclass from Jack and only for him, I don’t think he’d have won. I’ve known Jack since our pony racing days and we’ve had good fun through the years.
“He was the first horse I ever bought, he was initially one of three horses in my yard and is the yard favourite. He isn’t an easy horse and Ray Loftus has always ridden him out but he was cheap and I got two great owners Salvatore Giannini, from Wales, and Tony Lagan, from the north, involved.
“The horse has seen it all happen in my yard and this is my first Galway Festival winner, so to get one over the line is brilliant.”
Columbus will head to York and the Ebor after giving Willie Mullins his eighth winner of the Festival with a seven-and-a-half length victory in the Boyle Sports Best Odds Guaranteed Maiden Hurdle.
The five-year-old made all on just his second start over hurdles to justify 10-11 favouritism but was helped when closest challenger Golden Handshake unseated at the final flight.
Mullins said: “I thought he gave an exhibition of jumping for a horse having only his second run over hurdles.
“The Ebor in York is his next run and we’ll see how he gets on there but I’ll be looking at mixing a Flat/jumping campaign. We’ll see what happens on the Flat and if he looks good enough, we’ll pursue that, but I’d also like to have him for the spring festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree.”
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Galway Festival Galway Races Horse Racing