Robbie Power after Tudor City's win
Robbie Power after Tudor City's win

Tudor City slicker in Galway Hurdle


Tudor City grabbed a last-gasp success in a thrilling finish to the Guinness Galway Hurdle, the feature event on the fourth day of the Festival meeting.

One of two runners for Tony Martin, Tudor City was sent off a 10-1 shot and was delivered with a perfectly-timed challenge by Robbie Power.

Due Reward and Sole Pretender set the early gallop, with favourite Band Of Outlaws settled on their heels in third and it looked as though J J Slevin had ridden the perfect race as the market leader was primed to strike jumping the final flight.

However, Due Reward dug deep for Mark Enright to fend off Band Of Outlaws' challenge, before Power hit top gear on Tudor City to challenge between those two.

The winner responded, asserting in the dying strides to win by half a length with Band Of Outlaws a further three-quarters of a length back in third.

The well-fancied Chosen Mate met trouble in running after passing the post the first time, with Davy Russell doing well to stay on board before pulling up not long after.

Martin was winning the race for the third time, having sent out Thomas Edison in 2014 and Quick Jack, who runs in the same John Breslin colours as Tudor City, in 2015.

The trainer said: "It is brilliant and everything worked out so well. His mother won a Cambridgeshire, but was a short runner and barely got two miles and he was likewise until this year, but came of age and finished out his races.

"They went no gallop, but luckily Puppy (Power) had the patience and the nerve to sit and wait and it all worked out. That's why he is the jockey he is - there are only a few of them who can do that and fortunately we had his services today.

"Him and the likes of Anibale Fly are the sort of horses you get up for every morning. We had a few lean years and things weren't the best, but him winning and Anibale Fly finishing second in the (Cheltenham) Gold Cup was just brilliant and they are the days you work for.

"The Breslins are great people and my father was a very good friend of John's and introduced me to him before he died 19 years ago. John came to me at Galway two years after and put a few horses with me and it has gone from strength to strength since.

"We wouldn't have the horses we have had in the past, but we have a few nice ones and have some right good owners who are loyal and they are keeping us going."

He added: "He is in tomorrow night and you wouldn't know what we might do. I wouldn't rule it out and we'll see how he is in the morning.

"He'll go home as we are two hours away and he'd be better off in his own surroundings at home. We'll make out minds up at 10 or 11 in the morning."

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