Ruby Walsh back with a bang on day one of Galway Festival
Ruby Walsh made a successful return to action after Easy Game lived up to his name in the galmont.com & galwaybayhotel.com Novice Hurdle, the opening event of the 2018 Galway Festival.
Out of action since breaking his leg for a second time in quick succession at the Cheltenham Festival in March, Walsh kept things simple from the front.
Sent off the 5/4 favourite, Willie Mullins' four-year-old looked a nice prospect and a big leap at the last showed he still had plenty up his sleeve to beat Count Simon by four and a quarter lengths.
Walsh said, "It's a relief. I've only had a week's work in the last nine months and it's great to be back. I hope I last a bit longer than a week this time!
"I've been ready for a fortnight or three weeks and this was always the target.
"The horse was in great order and he improved from Killarney as Paul (Townend) thought he would. He did it really well.
"Having not ridden in a race for a while, I wasn't sure how fast I was going, never mind how strong the race was! The pressure is off now."
Mullins added: "It's great to have Ruby back.
"He jumped from hurdle to hurdle and climbed the hill. You are always wondering when you come to Galway whether you have a horse that will climb and he climbed. It's a nice start to the week."
Uradel defied a lengthy absence to deny stablemate Limini in the valuable Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap on an excellent first day for Mullins.
Sent off at 12/1, Uradel had not run on the Flat since finishing fifth in the Melrose Stakes at York in August 2014 on his first run for Willie Mullins.
Since then he has been competing over hurdles, but at a lesser level than Limini, the 2/1 favourite who appeared to have everything under control for Patrick Mullins turning into the straight.
However, Aubrey McMahon, who won the race 12 months ago on Whiskey Sour in the colours of his father, Luke, had also travelled smoothly into the race and asked his mount to quicken before Mullins had chance to respond.
Just as Limini hit the front, Uradel hit top gear and wore down the mare, with Mullins giving McMahon a pat on the back on crossing the line.
Rank outsider Waheb (66/1) stayed on for third ahead of long-time leader Azzuri, but they were nine lengths adrift of the Mullins pair.
The trainer said: "They went a fantastic gallop and they kept up the pace. They often ease off the pace passing the stands, but they kept it up down the back.
"Obviously the ones making the pace fell by the wayside and Limini was travelling well, then I looked back and I saw Uradel was travelling well. I thought that was Patrick's biggest danger turning for home and it turned out that way.
"It was a tremendous performance from Aubrey as a 7lb claimer to win it two years in a row.
"They were nine lengths clear of the third, and it was a great run from Limini after being off for so long. Limini will stay on the Flat and we'll run her in a big handicap wherever we can get in, or she may even go for a Listed race."
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