Eventual winner Golden Wonder (black cap white silks) during the opener at Galway© Photo Healy Racing
Hero of the hour after the Galway Plate back here in 2006, Roger Loughran had a success to savour in very testing conditions on chasing first-timer Golden Wonder in the opening Perfect Pint Beginners Chase at Galway.
The two and three quarter mile contest was run in a torrential downpour but the victorious Goldmark gelding was brave from the back of the last to see off the favourite Spring Heeled and Raajih by three and a half lengths and two and a half lengths.
There was a seventy six length gap back to the fourth placed Coolking whilst the clear pace-setter Refused A Name faded to come home twenty two lengths adrift in fifth.
Loughran explained: "If half the horses you'd ride had the heart that he does you'd be doing alright.
"With the way conditions were the boss (Dessie Hughes) told me to just get round and to do my best after that. You certainly need to be on a stayer out there.
"I knew they'd gone too fast in front and as he's a big horse he's able to nudge one (a fence) and get away with it. He jumped the last well and he's an out and out stayer."
Meanwhile Hughes summation was: "He won on good at Bellewstown and I thought he'd struggle out there today. It's good to see him do that though as he's going to need to handle that ground through the winter." (EM)
