As is so often the case, Dermot Weld was the star of the show at Galway as he saddled four winners on Monday evening, including the first two home in the feature race, the Listed Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes.
Hot-favourite Almela was the one punters wanted to be with following her highly impressive debut success at the Summer Festival here last month but she just failed to master stablemate Zhukova (7-1) who came out on top by head.
The pair served up a thrilling finish after locking horns entering the home straight but Zhukova came into this with a little bit more experience than Almela and was able to put that to good use late on.
Weld could have yet another smart prospect on his hands in Ebediyin, winner of the opening race of the night, the Donnelly's Of Barna EBF Maiden.
The well-touted Cole Porter looked set to land the spoils when tackling Al Mohalhal in the home straight but the 6-1 victor was always going well in behind and picked up in fine style once set alight, reeling in the market leader with a surging late run to score by a head.
The evening was to get even better for the County Kildare-handler as 9-4 favourite Simannka edged out Rayisa by a head to open her account in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden and Alveena (5-2) overcame trouble in running to land the Sean Clearly Memorial Maiden.
There was an easy winner of the Galway Bay Golf Resort Handicap as Johann Back (9-1) followed up last month's Gowran Park victory by trouncing So Sensible by three and a quarter lengths.
Best Not Argue (4-1) made a successful handicap debut when coming through to claim first prize in the James P. Cunningham Electrical Handicap while Shamar (25-1) was a shock scorer of the Galway Apprentice Handicap.
