Mullins steals show again

Just 17 days after a historic Irish Oaks triumph, Nearly a Moose's Hewlett-Packard Galway Plate triumph capped a remarkable July for 84-year-old Paddy Mullins. Brian O'Connor reports from Ballybrit.

Vintage Tipple might have provided a touch of once-off romance at the Curragh but a long list of "previous" at Galway left no one surprised at Mullins's entrance to the number one spot.

The veteran trainer had previously picked the Plate up with Boro Quarter in 1986 and The Gooser in 1992. But Nearly A Moose provided a 25 to 1 shock to compare with any in recent history.

The horse also provided his 22-year-old jockey Robbie Power with a first success at Galway as he surged four lengths ahead of the fast finishing Kadoun with Glynn Dingle third.

The heavily backed favourite, Back On Top, faded to fourth after leading at the third last and ultimately served only to provide the winner with a lead to the turn in.

Power took full advantage and afterwards echoed Frankie Dettori's famous post-Oaks observations about Mullins's instructions. "He just said you know the horse. He's very easy that way!" grinned the Co Meath-born rider. "He made a mistake at the last ditch but was very clever and really ran on."

The man least surprised of course was Mullins who calmly declared: "I knew he had ability but I thought inexperience might be his downfall. It was a superb ride by Robbie."

Michael McGinley, father of the Ryder Cup golfer Paul McGinley, and whose colours Nearly A Moose carries, was, however, interested in praising his trainer. "Paddy is a fantastic man who has kept faith with the horse and it has paid off today," he said.

Mullins confirmed that Vintage Tipple is on course to reappear in the Irish Champion Stakes on September 6th where she is due to meet the King George winner Alamshar as well as High Chaparral.

Nothing finished better than Kadoun whose trainer Michael O'Brien explained: "He didn't jump quick enough. He was a little too novicey which we were afraid of and it meant he could never get a proper position." O'Brien did, however, get compensation over an hour later as the well backed High Priestess powered away from the newcomer Anarchy in the 12-furlong maiden.

"She's pretty decent and we had a few quid on. She might even be good enough for a little Listed race at the backend," the trainer said.

Her jockey Pat Smullen completed a double on Mandhoor who justified favouritism in the mile maiden. Smullen had originally been down to ride Hazelhatch but that one didn't eat up in the morning so he switched to the stable companion. "The horse is no superstar but he had the jockey in form and got a positive ride," said Dermot Weld whose Direct Bearing also won the opening hurdle at odds-on.

Silver Spray saved the bookies from another skinner in the mile handicap as the runner-up Potsdam was slashed from 16 to 1 to 6 to 1.

Doonaree was a saver for the bookies in the mile and a half handicap as the topweight battled a length and a half clear of Pease Blossom in the closing stages. The stewards inquired into Doonaree's apparent improvement in form and noted trainer Tom Hogan's explanation.

There were no such moves after Hogan completed his own double in the concluding handicap as Animal Lover pounced on the warm favourite Nassau Royale to run out an easy winner.

The bookies received another respite in the handicap hurdle when Jaguar Claw prevailed.

A total attendance of 29,224 crammed into Galway yesterday, a sharp increase on the corresponding total of 26,761 last year. They bet a third-day record of a1,477,108 on the Tote which was up from the 2002 total of a1,259,627.

Bookmaker turnover was also up, reaching a2,872,162 compared to last year's a2,639,763. A total of a574,769 was bet on the Galway Plate.