Smullen escapes Galway melee

Champion jockey Pat Smullen was fortunate to escape with just a shaking from a three-horse pile-up in the closing stages of a sprint handicap as the Galway Festival ended on Sunday.

Smullen aboard Turn of Phrase hit the deck when In the Gods and former champion apprentice Tom Queally clipped heels just inside the furlong pole and fell in their path.

Young apprentice Rachel Costello, who was behind the incident on Alquid Novi was unseated as her mount tried to jump one of the fallen rivals and was taken to the local hospital with a suspected broken shoulder.

While Queally only hurt his knee and expects to resume tomorrow, the Stewards found him guilty of careless riding after the incident and suspended him for three days.

Smullen recovered quickest of the trio and indeed rode the second favourite Gold Chaser into fifth place in the following Vodafone Ferrari Handicap before passing up on his final booked mount Lady Semillon in the last flat race of the Festival.

'I'm still feelinga bit shaken and I think it was better not to ride in the last to give myself every chance of riding again at Cork tomorrow,' explained Smullen.

While Smullen had to settle for just a single winner all week, lightweight Wayne Smith ended the week with the Rooney Insurances Trophy and a cheque for Euro 2,000 as the top flat jockey after a double in the afternoon aboard Lorli (16-1) and Camargue (7-1).

Lorli just held on by a neck from another 16-1 chance Senators Alibi in the final strides of the Euro 70,000 Vodafone Ferrari Handicap with Andy Nolan deputising on the runner-up for Tom Queally.

Camargue became the third horse to win twice at the Festival when Smith kept him at full stretch in the Western Cellular Rated Race to repeat their course and distance success on Wednesday last on behalf of the new Tipperary trainer Mark Loughnane.

Earlier in the afternoon, Wouldn't You Agree, which had landed the bumper last Monday evening, returned to justify favouritism in style in the maiden hurdles for leading owned J.P. McManus and Curragh trainer Christy Roache.

In all 160,000 spectators thronged the enclosures in Galway during the seven days, with 27,000 more people present on the infield area as the Summer Festival once more underlined its unique appeal for Irish racegoers.