Grey horse Vastonea swoops in Ballybrit© Photo Healy Racing
< Vastonea won the Topaz Mile Handicap, the feature on day two of the Galway Festival, for the second time.
Kevin Prendergast was responsible for the big-race favourite in Maskoon but it was his less fancied grey who took top honours.
Settled off the pace, the 12-1 chance was switched out wide by Gary Halpin and finished with a wet sail to beat Piri Wango by three-quarters of a length, adding to his triumph of two years ago.< Jacksonslady has only made the reserves' bench for the Galway Plate but gained some compensation if she doesn't get a run in the highlight by coming out on top in the Latin Quarter Chase.< Butney Rock stole a march after jumping the final fence but began to tread water and 3-1 shot Jacksonslady headed him before fending off the late thrust of Cailin Annamh by a head.
Jacksonslady's owner JP McManus and Aidan O'Brien are a potent combination and they teamed up with Topaz Novice Hurdle winner Shield
The 15-8 market leader seemed in trouble two out, but got a dream run up the inside to jump the last sharing the lead with Rich Coast and he quickened away after it to score by a length from Queen Alphabet < Legatissimo (12-1) sprouted wings late on in the Topaz EBF Fillies Maiden to deny a couple of promising newcomers.< Chinese Light and Tamadhor went head to head down the straight and appeared to have it between them but Wayne Lordan was moving through the gears on David Wachman's Legatissimo, who was only sixth on her Leopardstown introduction, and she flew to get up by half a length.
Dermot Weld has had a couple of near-misses so far this week, but the money came for his Hidden Universe in the Caulfieldindustrial.com Handicap and he obliged as the 9-4 favourite.< Antique Platinum followed up to give Weld and Smullen victory number three of the week so far in the Caulfieldindustrial.com EBF Maiden, while Jane Foley's Surreal sprung a 25-1 surprise in the Caulfield Industrial Athlone Handicap.
