RACING:IN WHAT could be described as a victory of firsts, Blazing Tempo produced the performance of her life to claim thetote.com Galway Plate for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend yesterday evening.
For Mullins, this was his first triumph in the Plate following several near misses, while Townend couldn’t have picked a more opportune time to ride his first winner since he returned to the saddle on Monday night after breaking his collarbone at the Punchestown Festival in early May.
The first mare to win this race since the late Paddy Mullins’ Boro Quarter prevailed in 1986, Blazing Tempo was returned a strongly supported 5 to 1 favourite on her first start since Punchestown.
She received a typically cool and collected ride from Townend who bided his time in midfield for much of the race.
From the fourth-last the seven-year-old, who wears the Susannah Ricci colours that have been carried with such distinction by Mikael D’Haguenet, was firmly in contention.
She moved into third after the last two fences and answered her rider’s every call on the long run to the line to reel in Wise Old Owl, who turned for home with a lead of around four lengths.
Deep inside the final furlong Blazing Tempo made her way to the front to score by a length-and-a-quarter.
Wise Old Owl led home the sextet of JP McManus runners in second, with another of that owner’s representatives, Aigle D’Or, taking third.
Mullins’ two other runners, Hampshire Express and top weight Scotsirish, were fourth and fifth.
The 2009 Galway Hurdle winner Bahrain Storm exited five fences out when still in midfield.
“It’s my first Plate,” said Mullins, who had to settle for second place in this race 12 months ago. “It’s a race we’ve hit the bar in a few times and I was second in it as a jockey. It’s one of those iconic races that you want to win.
“In retrospect her last run when she was second to Wishfull Thinking at Punchestown was very good. At the time we were perhaps a little disappointed, but looking back on it now it was a good performance.
“It was great that she got in off a good racing weight and, of course, we had a fresh jockey too!
“We will look at the Kerry National for our three runners, although possibly Blazing Tempo could be a mare for the Hennessy at Newbury in November. I think she’d stay that trip.”
“It’s a dream come true to win the Plate and it’s a great kick-start for the rest of the year,” reflected the winning rider.
“Luckily I got a clear run everywhere I went and once I got her balanced coming out of the dip I felt I would catch Wise Old Owl.”
For the second day in succession Dermot Weld reeled off a treble which brought him on to the seven-winner mark for the meeting. With four days remaining the Rosewell House trainer lies just four short of his record breaking tally of 11 set last year.
The odds-on Galileo’s Choice got the ball rolling for the Rosewell House team as he picked up the maiden hurdle under Robbie McNamara. He just lasted home to see off the renewed challenge of Drumfire by a neck, and could now head to Listowel.
Then Maunsells Duke overcame a potentially troublesome wide draw in the 50-70 rated handicap to register a decisive, three-length win under Pat Smullen.
At 30 to 100 Font Of Wisdom was a red-hot favourite to bring up a treble for Weld in the concluding maiden, and he duly ran out a stylish, five-length winner under Smullen.
“He’s a backward but improving horse who did it nicely. He’ll go for a winner’s race now and should make up in a Listed horse later in the season,” reported Weld.
Another winning favourite came in the shape of Ted Walsh’s Royal Reveille, who was sent to the front by Mark Walsh (no relation) with a circuit to run en route to a seven-length triumph in the two- and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle.
Punters didn’t have it all their own way, though, and a 25 to 1 surprise awaited in the amateur rider’s maiden as the Denis Cullen-trained Catch The Moment made all the running under Barry O’Neill.
in 2004, Cloone River provided Paul Nolan with one of the most memorable moments of his training career when he won the Galway Hurdle.
That horse’s half-brother, Gala Dancer, got Nolan off the mark for the week in the three-mile handicap hurdle.
Meanwhile, Tyrone trainer Andy Oliver struck with the Ben Curtis-ridden Dodging Bullets in the extended mile handicap.
Yesterday's figures
THE attendance of 19,253 was 1,193 down on last year. The Tote aggregate of 839,863 was 131,609 behind the 2010 figure, while the bookmakers turnover also fell. The €1,956,138 taken by the bookies represented a decrease of €535,015.
