Racing/Report from Galway: A 30-year quest by Edward O'Grady to win Galway's GPT Handicap ended in triumph last night when Kentucky Charm powered to victory - but with his trainer absent.

O'Grady, famously the most successful current Irish trainer at the Cheltenham Festival, has also won both big Galway prizes - the Plate and the Hurdle - during an illustrious career. Yet the big amateur pot had remained frustratingly illusive.

Maybe that ambition had something to do with the fact that his father, Willie, was in charge of the 1961 winner Old Mull, but after years of trying O'Grady has finally laid the bogey.

Kentucky Charm stayed on up the famous hill under the 21-year-old jockey Kevin Power to beat the favourite Athlumney Lad with La Mandragola back in third. O'Grady, however, wasn't present to see it as he was attending the removal of the legendary point-to-point trainer PP Hogan in Limerick.

"I've been trying for 30 years to win it. I've had a lot of horses placed, a lot of horses were unlucky, and I'd virtually given up," O'Grady said when contacted after the race. "But I never missed it, and the one time I'm not there, we win!"

There wasn't much doubt about it either once Power pushed the button coming out the dip. Nina Carberry had Athlumney Lad in the ideal position to challenge, but Kentucky Charm stayed on much too strongly for everything else.

It was the biggest success of Power's short career which to date has yielded 39 victories on the track. A son of the well-known Co Limerick solicitor JJ Power, who acted for JP McManus in the Manchester Utd share deal with Malcolm Glazer, the six foot plus amateur enjoyed an armchair ride throughout.

"I thought Aidan Fitzgerald's horse (Rooftop Protest) was the danger so I was happy to have him in front of me. It was a good gallop, but sensible, and since my horse gets two and a half over hurdles, I thought there was a good chance he would get two miles on the flat," he said. "I'd ridden in the race twice before and finished last and third last so I would have been delighted to finish in the first three," Power added.

Kentucky Charm could now take his chance in Saturday's Dawn Milk Handicap Hurdle.

The stewards were in action before the GPT as an inquiry was held into the late withdrawal of the JP McManus-owned Longueville Manor. An explanation about ground conditions was not accepted, and after taking into consideration that the second reserve, Charlies First, was denied a run, the trainer Niall Madden was fined €500 and the horse suspended for five days.

Aidan O'Brien was hit even heavier by the stewards after the late withdrawal of Streets Of Gold from the mile and a half handicap. An explanation about an office mix-up was not accepted and O'Brien was fined €1,000 with the horse suspended for five days.

In his absence punters plunged on the Aga Khan-owned topweight Dafarabad, but the bookmakers got on the right side of him as Michael Kinane's mount finished only fourth behind Noend, who made most for Declan McDonogh.

Dermot Weld has trained 10 winners at the festival on four different occasions and he wasted no time hitting the scoresheet as Kinger Rocks justified favouritism in the opening novice hurdle.

"She hadn't schooled much recently which was a worry, but Ruby (Walsh) gave her a lovely education through the race," said Weld who revealed that Ansar is likely to try and repeat last year's Plate success tomorrow rather than wait for Thursday's big hurdle.

Weld made it two for the evening when Dasher Reilly won under Nina Carberry in the bumper as the heavily backed favourite Shanshampshire finished unplaced.

There was a reverse for Weld followers in the seven-furlong handicap, however, as the heavily backed Aura Of Calm could only beat two home behind the Tom Cooper-trained Indian Four.

Johnny Murtagh got the favourite Sandton City home by a head from Galantas in the 2-y-o maiden and the winner may turn out again next Saturday in a nursery.

"If he is well we could come back. He will have a mandatory penalty but I might claim off him," said trainer Frank Ennis.

Favourite backers also looked to have the handicap hurdle won when Thunder Road challenged Mahdi De Coeur at the last, but Arthur Moore's horse, fought back to win by a neck.

A record opening day crowd of 19,902 attended the festival, an increase of almost 2,000 on the corresponding evening last year, and they broke betting records for both the bookmakers and the Tote.

The Tote turnover of €965,262 was a first-day record, up €36,444 on last year. Bookmaker turnover of €2,265,036 compared to last year's €2,003,599.

The most valuable race for the bookmakers was the €377,809 wagered on the GPT (QR) Handicap.

Watering began on the track immediately after racing last night. The ground forecast for today is "good to firm".