Paddy Mullins completed a remarkable double within the space of 17 days when saddling Nearly A Moose to take the Hewlett-Packard Galway Plate under a fine ride by Robert Power.
Mullins (84), who gained his first classic victory earlier this month with Vintage Tipple in the Oaks at the Curragh, was enjoying his third Plate win having also been successful with Boro Quarter (´86) and The Gooser (´92).
Power gave a polished performance in his finest hour to-date, producing the seven-year-old to challenge on the downhill run to the final two fences in the dip. Nearly A Moose (25/1 but paid 35.60 on the Tote) and the heavily-backed 100/30 favourite Back On Top drew clear after the last, but Mullins´ charge got on top halfway up the long run-in to score by four lengths from the staying on Kadoun. Glynn Dingle also finished strongly a further half length adrift in third.
´I thought his inexperience would be his downfall but I always knew that he had the ability,´ said Mullins, while Power commented, ´I have never jumped and traveled as well. He missed one down the back but soon recovered.´
The two and three quarter miles feature provided an all-time betting record for a single race with the Tote as €344,379 was turned over, while other shock wins for Doonaree and Silver Spray resulted in the jackpot pool of €80,638 being carried forward to Thursday´s meeting.