'I'm thinking I'm not supposed to be here!' - special day for Declan Queally after he trains and rides first Grade 1 winner

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Two amateur jockeys fought out the finish to the Grade 1 Ballymore Novice Hurdle as Declan Queally and I'll Sort That muscled their way up the Naas straight to repel Patrick Mullins on Sortudo, securing a special day for the trainer and jockey with his first top-level success.

It was a fiercely competitive renewal of the 2m4f contest and I'll Sort That was one of the more exposed of the ten runners having had eight runs in total, four over obstacles, but this was undoubtedly a huge career best from the progressive six-year-old.

Queally seemed keen to utilise his mount's experience by firing him into the lead after the first flight. Approaching the last, with the two hurdles in the home straight omitted, the pair really started to pour it on and although I'll Sort That crashed through the flight, the 5-1 shot lost no momentum. 

Given the manner in which he had blasted around the track, supporters of the 15-8 favourite Sortudo would have been rubbing their hands approaching the bypassed last as Queally looked a sitting duck. The runner-up got to I'll Sort That's girth, but no further as the winner showed remarkable fortitude to swat away the challenge and charge a further two and a half lengths clear, with another 13 lengths back to Fruit De Mer.

It was a fourth win over hurdles on the bounce and a remarkable turnaround of form from a Fairyhouse bumper in April when Sortudo slammed the winner by 12 lengths.

"It's unbelievable," said Queally, who picked up a two-day suspension for a first-time breach of the whip rules. 

"He stays so well and is so genuine. I’ve played the race over in my head 100 times in the last two weeks. I was toying with the idea of dropping him in last this morning, but I said I’d stick with the plan as when he gets to the front, he dangles his ear and waits, and he was keen going to post."

Queally's Waterford stable has been making significant strides in recent years and has steadily improved the quality of its string. This was the 21st winner of the season, on course to rival the record 25 winners last season. 

Queally has also played a starring role in the saddle and this is his best season in his 20 years with a licence with 11 winners and a 37 per cent strike-rate, for all he is suffering from imposter syndrome at the top level.

“For me this is like a Junior C player being allowed to play in an All-Ireland. I’d love to have played in an All-Ireland Final, but I won’t get on the team. In this scenario I’m able to do it. Going to the start I have Paul Townend on one side of me and Jack Kennedy on the other. I’m thinking I’m not supposed to be here, but I try and blend in! 

"I saw Paddy Mullins coming and thought, ‘Ah no not you again’, as he’s beaten me so many times in bumpers over the last 17 or 18 years!"

Paddy Power reacted by cutting the winner into 16-1 (from 33) for the Turners Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

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