PREMIER IS IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN

MICK MULVANY registered his first Galway Festival win when 5/1 favourite Premier

League, owned by his father Larry, forged clear in the final furlong to win the Claytonhotelgalway. ie Handicap.

After the four and a half lengths under Gary Carroll, Mulvany said: “I didn’t think he’d do that.

“He’s entered again later in the week, but we’ll wait and see.”

Monday night crowd at Ballybrit was 20,194, compared to 19,663 last year, an increase of 531.

The Tote Turnover of €802,719 was down from €877,354 last year. But the bookmakers handled €1,113,702, an increase from €1,080,234

beaten favourite in Down Royal on Friday, Zander bounced back in style for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane to land the Claregalwayshotel.ie

2-Y-0 Maiden, swooping late to deny Wargrave.

The 10/1 shot prevailed by a length and a quarter, to the delight of his trainer, who said: “Things didn’t go well for him in the north – he got upset in the stalls and Colin looked after him – it turned out more like a bit of work and, luckily, we had him entered here. And juice in the ground helped – this is the ground he wants.

“Colin said they went a million miles an hour and had to come back to him. This colt has to improve to be a stakes horse but he has the pedigree to do so.”

Zander, an Oasis

Dream colt, was a third winner trained by Lyons, above, for Juddmonte Farms (in his first season training for them). And he added: “They gave us 10 horses and it would be nice to have 10 winners for them.”

Denis Hogan saddled six of the 20 runners for the Easyfix Handicap Hurdle and, having sent Golden Poet to the front turning for home, had mixed feelings as Barry Geraghty produced another of his string, Storm Rising, with a welltimed challenge to beat Kellyiscool, with his own mount filling third spot.