Galway Saturday Review

After a few near misses earlier in the week, local trainer Paul Gilligan finally struck gold when his Nintytwo Team landed the ?55,000 featured Freshways Handicap Hurdle in front of a 17,886 crowd at Galway on Saturday.

Despite competing from 20Ibs out of the handicap, Nintytwo Team, who was second to Leg Spinner here on Wednesday, made smooth progress under Andrew Lynch on the run to the final flight. Once safely over that obstacle, the 14/1 winner upped his game and, answering every call for Lynch, he ran on best to beat Streetshavenoname by three parts of a length. Christy Roche's 11/4 favourite Streets Of Gold filled third a further head in rear.

For hard-working Gilligan, who trains close to the track at nearby Craughwell, this was just reward. He observed: 'I was wondering when my luck would change here and this was the right race to do it in. This horse is named after the Kiltormer hurling team that won the All-Ireland Club Final back in 1992. While I know he was running from out of the handicap, the horse didn't know that and we had nothing to lose coming here today. Andrew (Lynch), who rides most of my horses, was brilliant on him and I'd be lost without him. I'm delighted for the lads who own him.'

Trainer Dessie Hughes and jockey Roger Loughran posted their second success of the week as Well Oiled did bookmakers a favour when popping up at 10/1 in the opening Jockeys Association Maiden Hurdle.

Loughran opted to kick for home off the home bend on the son of Supreme Leader and that proved a winning move with the post just coming in time as the six-year-old held on to score by three parts of a length from the fast-finishing Bluebyyou.

Hughes, who has care of the winner for Roscommon native Benny Connaughton, reported: 'He didn't handle the soft ground at Ballinrobe last time and today's better going suited him better. He's in at the deep end now having won a bumper and a maiden hurdle.'

Davy Condon made a welcome return to the winner's enclosure when giving 14/1 shot Barregarrow a dashing ride to land the Low Low Galway Blazers Handicap Chase.

Cork-born Condon had been on the sidelines since breaking his back in a fall at Punchestown in April, but showed little sings of rustiness when punching the winner home to beat Davy Russell on Johnny Gonzales by a length.

Winning owner/trainer Seamus Neville from Wexford commented: 'It's great to see Davy back on a winner and he rode exactly to instructions all the way. This horse loves good ground. We'll have to see how he comes out of today, but Tralee or Listowel could be on the agenda.'

Kevin Manning was seen to good effect when bringing Jim Bolger's Bunsen Burner home in front in the Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Premier Nursery Handicap.