Brilliant Ansar At The Double

Dermot Weld´s Ansar improved an already impressive track record when landing back-to-back victories in the Hewlett-Packard Galway Plate at the famous Irish festival on Wednesday.

With six previous wins at the course, Ansar bounded away from his rivals to win the ?200,000 chase by an easy seven lengths.

The nine-year-old was saddled with joint top-weight of 12st after scoring by a length 12 months ago, but the hefty burden failed to prevent an even more impressive repeat performance.

Denis O´Regan hit the front aboard the 10-1 chance jumping the second-last fence and the pair scooted clear rounding the home turn to give Weld his fourth Galway Plate success.

'I was concerned that he wouldn´t carry that weight, but he got a lovely ride from Denis,' said Weld. 'He´s a super `lepper´ and has a tremendous spring to him.

'He´s a very sound horse and we´ll probably aim him at the big chase in Japan in April (the Nakayama Jump). The fast ground will suit him - it´s a big possibility.'

As Ansar, who is 10-1 with Cashmans for the hat-trick next year, surged clear down the run-in, Ursumman (14-1) kept on for second ahead of Light On The Broom (25-1) and Junior Fontaine, who took third and fourth respectively.

Warrens Castle, sent off the 11-2 favourite, had to settle for fifth for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, with the British raiders failing to get involved.

Jim Goldie´s Kid´z´Play was handy through the first circuit before dropping away, while Richard Fahey´s Ball O Malt and the Alan Jones-trained Totheroadyouvgone were never dangerous.

Ansar´s victory was the first leg of a double for Weld, and the Rosewell House trainer was full of praise for jockey Nina Carberry after she guided Navajo Chieftain to a seven-length victory in the HP Software Licensing & Management Solutions (QR) Maiden.

'Nina won the race in the first furlong. This is a big, lazy horse and she got up there and fought for a good position in the first furlong. She´s a class rider,' he said.

? PA Sport