Brazil turns on the style after Galway Hurdle flop with last-gasp success

Brazil ran terribly when pulling up in the Galway Hurdle on Thursday, but the Padraig Roche-trained five-year-old quickly made amends when narrowly prevailing in the feature Guinness Handicap.

The 2022 Boodles winner at the Cheltenham Festival came from off the pace under Niall McCullagh and his challenge could not have been better timed as he got up in the final stride to score by a head and the same from favourite Teed Up and Chally Chute.

“Fair play to Mark Walsh yesterday,” said Roche. “He knew he was in today and he looked after him when his chance had gone. Everything worked out.”

McCullagh was ebullient. “I'm speechless,” he said, but turned out to be anything but, adding: “This means a lot. I won this race first back in 1991 and it's my fifth time to win it. I was devastated when this horse ran so bad yesterday but I was mindful Mark had pulled him up when things went wrong. He was alive today. He is hardy and battled well.”

“I love riding winners for JP [McManus]. I won the November Handicap for him on Drop The Anchor and I won an Athasi Stakes on Iveagh Gardens. He's been very good to me and I've had great luck riding for him over the years. I'm really delighted for Padraig – he's the salt of the earth.”

“I'm on the final hole now, and I'm doing a Frankie on it in my way. I'm just riding around here and there and to get a winner like this on Galway week at this stage means everything. It's just a dream.”

Toss Again belies his inexperience in the Blazers

The Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap Chase has been a very good race in recent years for Henry de Bromhead, and the inexperienced Toss Again, ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, became the fourth horse sent from Knockeen to land this race in eight years.

The son of Malinas only had one previous run over fences to his name, a victory in a beginners chase at Limerick in May, but he put in an exhibition round of jumping from the front and battled hard in the straight to see off Quantum Realm, winning by a length and three-quarters with favourite Good Bye Sam a further four lengths away.

Next year's Galway Plate is now the target and De Bromhead said: "He was brilliant and Darragh was brilliant on him for a horse in his first handicap and only his second run over fences. He lacked experience but his jumping was just savage."

"We hoped he would improve for fences. He won his beginners nicely and the lack of experience around here would have been a worry, but he was just brilliant and he really stayed at it. 

"We won't rush him. He's still a novice so we have options – he's probably better on better ground."

O'Keeffe continues on the winning trail

It has been a good week at Ballybrit for rider Sean O'Keeffe, who was seen to good effect on Arctic Fly on Tuesday, and he once again got the fractions right on the Paul Nolan-trained Ifiwerearichman in the opening €80,000 handicap hurdle.

O'Keeffe was in front before the third flight and set his own fractions from there, holding off one challenger after another after poaching a vital length or two after the second-last. The winning margin was fast diminishing as runner-up Volantis closed the gap to half a length at the line.

O'Keeffe said of the 28-1 shot: "I'm delighted with that. I thought he was a bit overpriced today – he was coming here with a bit of a chance in fairness."

He added: "He was actually a bit slow away and I had to get him into a position, but he jumped really well and I was able to fill him everywhere. I winged the last and got stuck into him. He stays that trip very well."

The attendance on the evening was 23,455, compared to 24,486 in 2022.

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