Galway Saturday review and free video replays

Poignant winner of closing bumper

Cameletta Vega was an poignant winner of the final race on the penultimate day of the Galway Festival.

Trained by Willie Mullins, the five-year-old is a daughter of dual Derby hero Camelot out of the brilliant racemare Quevega, making her a half-sister to multiple Grade One-winning stablemate Facile Vega, who was fatally injured earlier this week.

Quevega famously landed the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on six occasions, while Facile Vega followed in her hoofprints by winning the 2022 Champion Bumper in the Cotswolds.

With the champion trainer’s son Patrick doing the steering, Cameletta Vega was an 8/11 shot for the Salthill Hotel Irish EBF Mares INH Flat Race, which had gone to the all-conquering Closutton team five times in the last eight years.

Favourite backers will have had few concerns, with Cameletta Vega travelling strongly at the head of affairs from flag-fall – and she had most of her rivals in trouble before the home turn. Once given the office, she soon quickened clear of the field, with her rider punching the air as he passed the post with three and three-quarter lengths in hand over The Diddler.

Quevega has now produced four foals that have made the racecourse – Princess Vega, Facile Vega, Aurora Vega and Cameletta Vega – and all have won on their respective debuts.

Patrick Mullins said: “She was a little bit worked up, but very professional once the race started. The plan wasn’t particularly to make the running, but nobody wanted to make it and I said we’d bowl along. We got to set our own fractions and kick off the bend. With her pedigree she was entitled to win.”

He added: “It’s a bright start and particularly this week, with Facile Vega passing away. Facile gave us some wonderful days, for me personally we had wins in Leopardstown at Christmas, at the Dublin Racing Festival, in Cheltenham and in Punchestown.

“The day in Cheltenham will live long in the memory for me. It was the wettest day I’ve ever seen in Cheltenham, he was Quevega’s son and probably one of the bankers of the meeting. We got the head-to-head with Jamie (Codd) and American Mike and we won and a few of my friends snuck into the winner’s enclosure – it was a very enjoyable day.

“It’s frustrating and sad to lose a horse like him, but the owners have this mare coming through and Aurora Vega is back in (training) on Monday and there’s a four-year-old by Australia in the yard who is not named yet, but she’s nice as well.

“I didn’t get to ride Quevega, it was a bit before I was at that level, but it’s great to have that connection with them and it just shows those good racemares can be good broodmares. It’s very special.”

Willie Mullins said: “It was nice to see her do that and it was the best bit of work she has ever done. She was backward last year but has come forward nicely and Quevega’s progeny seem to take time.

“She is very strong but wouldn’t be anything like the size of Facile Vega and to me she is maturing all the time. She quickened nicely and is obviously better than she is showing me at home “We’ll aim for the Listed bumper in Gowran in October.”

Of Facile Vega, he added: “He had just returned in from grass, so was fresh, and it was a freak accident as he kicked a wall in the stable. I was speaking to Nicky Henderson and he said the same thing happened to Shishkin. It was unfortunate but it was just one of those things that can happen.”

Wallpark swoops late to strike for Elliott

The Wallpark came with a wet sail to snatch top honours in the BoyleSports Handicap Hurdle. So Scottish looked all set to land the €110,000 Listed-class feature when fending off the challenge of fellow JP McManus-owned contender Comfort Zone on the run-in.

However, Gordon Elliott’s 14/1 chance The Wallpark found a second wind under Sam Ewing and stormed home to forge ahead in the final stages, getting up by half a length. Elliott also saddled the fourth-placed Beacon Edge, who was partnered by stable jockey Jack Kennedy.

It was a fifth success in his last eight races for the victor, who had been raised 8lb in the ratings for last month’s Kilbeggan triumph, when also running on strongly after being under pressure a long way out.

The winning trainer said: “We thought the step up in trip would suit him, he was very tough and I’m delighted for (owner) Fran (Mangan), who put his money down and bought him and is now getting his rewards.Beacon Edge also ran a great race under top-weight to finish fourth and the whole way through his career he has been a right horse, but is difficult to place.

“The winner is a horse on the way up and it was almost the toss of a coin for which one Jack would pick and there was nothing between them in the race. It was a nice pot to win and The Wallpark could now end up trying to qualify for a Pertemps Final at Cheltenham. Fran is actually down in Kerry playing golf today, so I’ll give him some stick over that! I’m delighted for him.”

Ewing added: “He was very good up that hill today. I tried to get him enjoying himself because he stays well and he’s very tough. Hopefully he’ll be an exciting horse to look forward to over the coming months. To be fair to him, he was brilliant everywhere when I needed him and, as I say, he was very game up the hill. He has his own way of doing things, for sure, but he seems to get there when it matters.”

Mullins eyes Ebor with Jackfinbar

Jackfinbar looks set for a second crack at Sky Bet Ebor glory at York later this month, after making a successful debut over obstacles on the penultimate day of the Galway Festival.

The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old kept on strongly to justify 11/4 favouritism in the BoyleSports Best Odds Guaranteed Maiden Hurdle, scoring by a length and three-quarters from stablemate Hipop De Loire under Danny Mullins.

Having run well for a long way in last year’s Ebor behind another Closutton inmate in Absurde, Jackfinbar was subsequently cut to 20/1 by the sponsors for this year's renewal.

Mullins confirmed a trip to the Knavesmire is likely to be on the agenda for not only the winner but also the runner-up.

He said: “Both my horses were nine and seven years of age and were coming off the Flat so wouldn’t have known about hurdling and Jackfinbar was very keen. It is a different pace over jumps, so they had to settle back and think, but both did it nicely.

“It was a pity having to run them against each other but I hadn’t another opportunity to get them out this week and I wanted to run. Jackfinbar had two injuries and was too late when he came out to go novice hurdling last year and with the other fellow (Hipop De Loire), I just wanted to wait with him. They are two nice horses. The first and second might go to the Ebor in York now – Absurde got beaten here last year and went on and won the Ebor, so these will try and do the same.”

Master off the mark

Puppet Master took full advantage of a good opportunity to get off the mark in the BoyleSports Money Back If 2nd To SP Fav Irish EBF Maiden.

Aidan O’Brien’s juvenile was sent off at 1/2 on the back of a promising debut second at Killarney and put in a professional display to oblige by four lengths under Wayne Lordan.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He is a lovely colt who had a lovely run with Jack (Cleary) in Killarney and coming here with a run under your belt really stands to you. He can travel, quicken and will be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year.

“It was Wayne’s first time sitting on him and he was delighted with him and thought he has the makings of a really nice horse. He has a very good attitude and he also has a turn of foot, which is important. At the moment, he will be in the mix for the Beresford.”

Rest of the action

Flying Bay put in a game front-running display to win the Bathshack Maiden for Andrew Kinirons and Ben Coen at 15/2, just holding on from the fast-finishing Vadali to score by half a length.

Kinirons said: “The lads (owners) are great and have been patient with him. I thought he was a serious horse last year but he got the usual bad scopes and I ran him too fresh on his first run at the Curragh. He was just weak and the New Bays need time.

“I had him entered in the (Irish) 2,000 Guineas last year, so it is hard to give them time when they’re working so well. We held back though, as he is a big baby and got a good education in Killarney when he hit the line well and the form has worked out.

“I’d say there is a lot of improvement in him and Ben was key to him as he had been riding work on him and didn’t get to ride him in a race until the last day.”

Lady O benefitted from having cheek pieces fitted when running out a decisive winner of the Whiriskey Refrigeration Irish EBF Nursery Handicap at 100-30 for Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley.

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.