Racing: Moon Dice collared Fosters Cross to land the valuable Guinness Galway Handicap Hurdle at the Ballybrit course. The latter made a brave bid to make all the running, with his rivals struggling to reel him in — except for the Paul Flynn's 20-1 shot.
The six-year-old jumped into the lead at the final flight and galloped on strongly to win by four and half lengths in the hands of Tom Doyle.
Dirar (7-1) was third, and the 3-1 favourite The Real Article fourth.
Winner of the feature two-mile Flat handicap on Monday, Fosters Cross got a flying start, but he was followed all the way round by Moon Dice.
Very few horses got into the race as the first two never looked like stopping.
Dirar and The Real Article tried to get to the first two, but they were fighting a lost cause, eventually settling for minor honours behind the convincing winner and the gallant runner-up.
“I didn’t think he would win like that," Flynn said. “I was confident beforehand, but it’s Galway and I always thought he would be better over fences, but he is rated 130 over hurdles, so I said we’d give it a go.”
Doyle added: “It was very straightforward. They went quick enough and I was worried we were going a bit too quick, butmy horse was happy and travelling. It was a big step up for him, but he won very well in Limerick and we were hopeful coming here.
“He hadn’t always jumped that well but he never missed a beat — that was the main thing. He handled the track very well.”
It was the same old story on the supporting card.
Dermot Weld, the undisputed king of the Galway Festival, equalled his record of 11 winners at the meeting by recording a a 76-1 four-timer of winning favourites.
The Curragh trainer struck first with Daffern Seal (11-4), ridden by amateur Robbie McNamara, in the Perfect Pint Beginners Chase.
The rest belonged to Pat Smullen, who was taking his personal tally at theFestival this week to eight with a near-20-1 treble.
The Flat ace obliged on Rock Critic (11-4) in the Guinness Time Handicap, Anam Allta (6-5) in the Arthur Guinness EBF Fillies’ Handicap and Teach Nua (6-4)
in the Arthur’s Legacy Handicap.