Kevkat pounces at Galway

Racing: Kevkat, trained by Eoin Griffin and ridden by Declan McDonogh, emerged victorious in the 45,570 Guinness Handicap over…

Racing: Kevkat, trained by Eoin Griffin and ridden by Declan McDonogh, emerged victorious in the 45,570 Guinness Handicap over a mile and a half at the Galway Festival.

The five-year-old gelding was always close to the brisk early pace set by Callow Lake and stormed past runner-up Le Leopard deep inside the final furlong to win by a neck at odds of 9-1.

Aidan O'Brien's well-backed 10-11 favourite Hitchcock ran into traffic problems when asked for maximum effort under Kieren Fallon, who had to be content with a staying-on third, a length and a quarter further in arrears.

Sir Mark Prescott supplemented Spectait's victory in the totesport Mile at Goodwood earlier in the day with Elusive Dream's facile success in the St James's Gate Race.

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McDonogh looked a picture of composure aboard the gelding and could have been called the winner a long way from home.

The jockey soon asserted full control on proceedings and stretched clear to justify his short price with 14 lengths in hand from Peak Of Perfection.

Willie Mullins' Euro Leader, a faller in the Racing Post Plate at the Cheltenham Festival, could again be heading to Prestbury Park in November after his eyecatching victory in the Tony O'Malley Memorial Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old, a well-beaten favourite in the GPT Galway Handicap on Monday, benefited from a patient ride from Ruby Walsh before bounding to a clear-cut eight-length success from Prince Of Pleasure.

James O'Farrell partnered 4-1 favourite Lorna's Star to a comfortable victory in the Guinness Handicap Hurdle, to the delight of the Ballybrit punters.

The seven-year-old took up the running just before the final flight and readily galloped clear of Annameadle, who stayed on well to secure second, with Teutonic Prince and Fivestar Alstars claiming third and fourth respectively.

McDonogh went onto complete a memorable treble after Kevin Prendergast's Rajeh came with a rattling late run to win the 1979 European Breeders Fund Maiden at odds of 4-1.

Willie Supple landed a fine double in the last two races of the evening. The jockey struck gold aboard Careless Abandon (10-1) in the Arthur Guinness Handicap before partnering 4-6 favourite Ferneley to a determined success in the Guinness Auction Maiden.