Results Galway Fri, 2nd Aug, 2024

Volantis continues rich vein of form for O'Sullivan

We weren't happy at any point of the race. He's a very hard ride because he needs cover. It's exactly what happened last year but he got beat on the line then. This year it just paid off and he was lucky enough to get out. He needs to settle and needs cover, around here it's so hard because a lot of horses all week having been on the pace. It's relief, if you had asked me one horse that I thought would have won during the week it would have been him. Then when the others won I said this was the one that was going to get beat!. He's a classy horse, he's quick over his hurdles and two miles is his ideal trip. The plan was to come back for this race. It's not often it works out so it's great. The horses are really just alive. They are even fresh riding out, bucking. It's hard to explain, they are just on the crest of a wave at the minute. It's great, it's not going to last forever but long may it last.

Bessie Abott causes 50/1 shock on debut

We knew she was a very talented filly. We were expecting her to run a big race but we thought she might give it away at the stalls, which she did. She's a half-sister to a multiple Listed winner in America. We've known for a while that she has that kind of ability. We were aiming at here and it has worked out. Unfortunately the owner couldn't be here as his young one was sick. She was showing an awful lot at home. We had schooled her out of the stalls but she was coming away slow. We said we'd bring her here anyway and give her a good education. Once I knew she had got into contention she was going to be very close.

Battleoverdoyen turns back the clock in Galway Blazers

He was high class; he was a Grade 1 winner. He was very unlucky all winter with the ground being very soft, he was struggling with his wind on real soft ground,. said Elliott. We went hunter chasing with him and had a great plan to qualify him for the Foxhunters this year but didn't get to qualify him, everything went wrong. For him to come back and win for the lads here is great because they've been patient with him. He wasn't going to have too many more chances which just goes to show if you don't give up. He's a lovely horse, it's great for Pioneer and great for Danny Gilligan, a local man, who was touched off in a couple of races during the week. I thought when he hit the front a half furlong down 'I don't know if he'll get home with his wind'. I'd say it just did catch him for the last half furlong. He's been a horse of a lifetime for me, I've had him since he was a four-year-old. Obviously he's a Grade 1 winner and to come back and win for the boys today, if he doesn't do anything ever again he's going to have a great life. In fairness he has dropped a lot in the handicap, he's 123 there and was rated 160 at his best. We'll enjoy today and make a plan after that. He might go to Listowel for one of the handicap chases there.

Eagle's Way lands Friday feature for Durkan and Hayes

Andromeda opens account with promise of more to come

Wayne gave her a textbook ride. She's a filly we've thought an awful lot of. Last year we thought she was a stakes filly and we still think she will be a stakes filly. When we ran her in Bellewstown she ran nicely but we knew after a bit of a lay-off she was going to come on an awful lot. Wayne thought she had really come forward coming into this run and it's shown there, she really stretched away at the line. She's in the Give Thanks Stakes but that will probably come a bit soon for now. The obvious race would be back here for the Oyster Stakes in September, and try to get the black-type. She's a filly that I think will keep progressing now. She's got that win, we always thought she was genuine and Wayne agrees. Fitness wise she has come on a lot since Bellewstown and she'll step up in class now no problem.

Soft ground proves crucial for Victor's Choice

That's brilliant. Everything worked out fantastic as she needs a nice bit of ease in the ground. We were praying for rain and it just came at the right time for her. We were coming here very confident when we seen the rain. There is a big crew follows this filly, all the Fosters and McLoughlins are involved in her. She had a great run here last October when she was second, she was unlucky not to win. That was on soft to heavy ground so we knew she handled the track and all we needed was a bit of ease in the ground.

Taipan makes winning return for Harrington and Foley

I'm delighted, he hasn't run for over a year and it's great to get him back. Those conditions races are great for him. We were thinking of putting him in the amateur handicap but when he was qualified for this we decided to wait for now. I've had him ready to run for about the last six weeks but every time the ground came up too quick for him so I took him out. He just needs a little bit of an ease in the ground now in his old age. He wasn't stopping there and he'll go two miles no problem. We could have a look at the Cesarewitch and maybe the English Cesarewitch as well.

Toll Stone may bid to follow up over the weekend

I told Colin what I thought about the horse and left the tactics to him, I just gave him a bit of info on the horse. He said with 50 yards to go he thought he was going to get swamped but the horse pulled out a bit more and went to the line well. He has a great attitude. It was a big step up in trip but he enjoyed every bit of it. We'll see how he comes out of the race and fingers crossed he's none-the-worse. He's in tomorrow and Sunday and as long as he keeps staying sound he'll keep running. We'll let him bunk in here for the weekend and we'll play it by ear and see how he is in the morning.