'To have a double on Galway Plate day is magic' - Ross O'Sullivan's stunning summer continues

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Everything Ross O'Sullivan touches is turning to gold these days. His sensational summer continued by winning two of the first three races on Galway Plate day, an 87-1 double thanks to Talk In The Park and Champella. 

Talk In The Park got the ball rolling in the 2m6 1/2f handicap hurdle and, it doesn't matter when you're reading this, no matter what day it is, the party in Monroes is still going strong. The boozer, on Dominick Street, is where the Downtown Syndicate was formed and, boy, will they celebrate this success. 

The syndicate's last winner on race week at Galway was Muzak back in 2012. He was trained by the late John Munroe and ridden by O'Sullivan's wife Katie Walsh.

O'Sullivan couldn't stop smiling after Darragh O'Keeffe brought Talk In The Park, backed into 7-1 (from 14-1 overnight), home six lengths in front. 

The trainer said: "The last time the lads had a winner here their dad trained it and Katie rode it. We had a great night then and we’ll have a great night again.

"This was the plan for a good while. He won his maiden hurdle, but he had winter form and that experience stood to him. Nicer ground was the key. The lads really enjoy winners and you feed off their enthusiasm. They get a great kick out of it and it makes it even more special."

Fergus Healy and Philip Bowe are also part-owners of Talk In The Park. 

Champella then pounced late in the 2m½f mares handicap hurdle for the Sarsfields Racing Syndicate. 

O'Sullivan said: "To be here on Galway Plate day and have a double, it’s magic! It’s great for the yard. 

"These lads gave me my first ever horse, a point-to-pointer before we ever had a winner on the track, and they have been with me ever since."

O’Sullivan is showing a healthy level stakes profit with his runners over jumps and on the Flat this season, and has now sent out six winners from just 15 runners in the past fortnight. 

More success for syndicates

It was a superb evening for syndicates, as the Barstool Prophets Syndicate, assembled from the high stools in Shaw's pub in County Meath, were celebrating after the 11-1 success of Lightkeeper in the opening 2m5f maiden hurdles. Among the syndicate is winning trainer Gordon Elliott's father, Pat.

Hamilton jets off with a winner 

Tom Hamilton's last ride in Ireland proved to be a winning one as the talented amateur scored on Shoda in the 1m4f maiden for qualified riders.

Hamilton is jetting off to Australia and signed off in style on the Joseph O'Brien-trained 9-2 shot. 

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