Buddy Marvel did what John McLoughlin always believed he could do when winning a thrilling Guinness Extra Stout Handicap at Galway yesterday evening. The only three-year-old in the field was a sick horse when withdrawn from the Irish Derby at the final stage but yesterday he exuded grit and determination to wear down the front-running Sharazan and win by a head with the favourite Gan Saru a neck back in third.
However, the stewards afterwards switched the placings of Sharazan and Gan Saru as they decided Sharazan had caused interference by drifting off the rail in the closing stages.
It was of little concern to permit holder McLoughlin, who admitted: "That's a bit of a relief. I built him up as a good horse and I felt he was but after he won at Gowran, he wasn't right and I ran him in the Derrinstown Derby Trial which flattened him. The Irish St Leger is the overall plan but we'll come back here in September for the Oyster Stakes first. Those were some serious old handicappers he beat out there."
The Oyster Stakes is also on the agenda for Spirit Of Tara after she made her trainer Michael Grassick a possibly even more relieved man when breaking her duck in the Smithwicks Maiden.
By Sadlers Wells out of Flame Of Tara, dam of stars like Salsabil and Marju, Spirit Of Tara enhanced her paddock value immensely by winning and Grassick said: "With a filly like that it's so important because she's worth so much. There's improvement in her and all she needs is time."
She didn't do badly in the present when accelerating clear of Moving On Up on the turn-in and her owner-breeder Pat O'Kelly said: "I thought the ground was a bit dead. Her father liked it but her mother didn't so we weren't sure which she'd follow."
Idiots Venture proved his remarkable toughness by following up a gallant second in Wednesday's Plate with a head defeat of Perknapp in the O'Malley Handicap Chase. Again, Charlie Swan nursed the topweight into position before asking for everything in the closing stages.
"He deserved that. He's been great all through the summer and we'll take him to Tralee next before going for the Kerry National in Listowel," said Aidan O'Brien.
John Murtagh was also involved in some dramatics in the Carlsberg Race when the bit slipped through the mouth of his well-backed mount Balla Sola causing him to veer left on the turn and appearing to hinder Jimmy The Greek and Maduka.
Balla Sola ended up on the stands rail but still failed by only a neck to the revitalised Maduka who was completing a double for Kevin Manning.
The record smashing attendance figures for Galway festival continued last night with a record 18,257 crowd for the Friday fixture. The Tote aggregate was £374,583 compared to £374,623 last year and the bookmaker turnover was £1,049,822 compared to £1,064,354 in 1996.
