Far From Trouble Lands Plate Curragh trainer Christy Roche and leading owner J.P.McManus were the toast of Ballybrit where their well-backed 8/1 shot, Far From Trouble, landed a thrilling renewal of the William Hill-sponsored Galway Plate. The 28,817 attendance were treated to a cracking contest as Roger Loughran, a last-minute replacement for the Tony McCoy, who broke his wrist in an earlier fall, took full advantage of his good fortune when bringing the son of Good Thyne, who was only fifth off the home bend, with a telling challenge to beat hat-trick seeking Ansar (Ruby Walsh) by three and a half lengths. Roche was in ebullient form in the number-one spot as he explained: 'I'm gutted for Tony (McCoy) to miss the ride, but Roger (Loughran) did a great job. I've had this race in mind for our horse since he fell (six out) in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. He needs good ground but I thought we were in trouble for the past fortnight. I wouldn't have risked him on a firm surface. The rain over the weekend was just perfect.' Explaining how the seven-year-old got his name, Roche continued: 'When you'd ring J.P with some bad news about one of his horses, he always say, sure that's far from trouble.' Loughran (26), who fully deserved his day in the sun having come in for a lot of flack when mistaking the winning post and throwing away a high-profile chase aboard Central House at Leopardstown last Christmas was overjoyed. He said: 'It was a brilliant ?spare' to pick up, but I'm sorry for Tony McCoy. I'd also have to mention Alan Crowe, who would have been second choice if he hadn't been injured. It's a great feeling to have won a big race like this.' Runner-up, Ansar, ran a huge race for Dermot Weld and Ruby Walsh under top-weight, losing nothing in defeat, while Paul Nolan's, Dix Villez, also performed creditably when claiming third for Paul Nolan and jockey Paddy Brennan. Noel Meade is a hard man to keep out of the winner's enclosure at this venue and the Navan handler recorded a mixed double. Meade's first winner of the meeting came when the one-eyed, Ecole D'Art, made every post a winning one under Denis O'Regan in the opening William Hill In Ireland Hurdle. O'Regan, deputising for the luckless Paul Carberry, who was forced to miss the ride after injuring his foot in a fall the previous day, bounced the five-year-old into an early lead and the pair fought off all comers when beating, Do The Trick, by two and a half lengths. Meade handles the 13/2 winner for the Crossmaglen-based Mighty Macs Syndicate. He observed: 'Paul (Carberry) said when he won on this horse at Down Royal last time that making the running was the key to this fellow. I suppose with him having only one eye, it gives him confidence when he's out in front. He's a nice, big horse with plenty of scope and we'll stay novice hurdling with him now.' Meade's double was completed in the 12 furlong William Hill 1800 333 555 Handicap where the Fran Berry-ridden, J.P.McManus-owned, Moratorium (10/1) came with a sustained run up the home straight to beat Kevin Manning's mount, Shellin, by a length and a quarter. 'Fran (Berry) gave this horse a great ride as he has to come late off a fast pace. He's in on Friday but he'll hardly run.' Kieren Fallon received a rapturous reception when returning to the winner's enclosure aboard the gambled-on 9/4 favourite, Flying Knight, in the williamhillradio.com handicap. Noel Lawlor's eight-year-old needed all of Fallon's strength in the closing stages to stave off the determined challenge of Thomond O'Mara's 14/1 outsider, Dollars Rock. The Clare-born jockey, who is currently banned from riding in the UK, enthused: 'I rode a winner here for Kevin Prendergast back in 1989, and it's always nice to get one at the Festival. Charlie Swan's lightweight, Rory's Sister, gave the former champion jockey, now training in his native Tipperary, his second winner of the Festival when beating Chemin D'or by two and a half lengths in the williamhill.ie Handicap Hurdle. Dubliner Eugene Kavanagh owns the easy-to-back 14/1 winner. Swan revealed: 'This mare was badly hampered when sixth at Kilbeggan a fortnight ago. She's won a bumper and a maiden hurdle and loves that good ground. We'll probably head to Tralee with her now.' Visiting rider Tony McCoy took a crashing fall from the challenging Sporting Limerick at the second last in this contest. The multiple UK champion was lucky to escape with a badly broken right wrist, but had to undergo an operation in the nearby Galway Clinic. Sadly Sporting Limerick's injuries proved fatal. Pat Flynn was left rueing the fact that his, Worldly Wise, didn't get a run in Tuesdays' Tote Handicap after the Namid colt had carried Danny Grant to a comfortable success in the one-mile williamhillcasino.com Handicap. The Waterford handler explained: 'It's a pity he didn't get in on Tuesday; I think he'd have gone very close. He's a very, very good horse and we think an awful lot of him.' Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O'Brien posted his first success of the week when J.P.Magnier(22) gave 5/2 favourite, Born For Glory, in the colours of his mother Sue, a strong drive to beat the Nina Carberry-ridden, Tempting Paradise, in the williamhillpoker.com(Q.R.) maiden. Dermot Weld had his by now customary winner, his fifth of the week so far, when the Pat Smullen partnered even-money favourite, Tajneed, had a head to spare over Phantom Lad in the concluding williamhillarcade.com Maiden. Attendance 2006: 28,8172005: 28,032 Tote 2006: ?1,450,6352005 ?1,535,355 Bookmakers 2006: ?3,755,0822005 ?3,007,003
