Venture springs 33/1 surprise

The opening race on the final day of the Galway Festival, the Galway Bay FM Beginners Chase went to the biggest price winner of the week, Venture Lazarus who scored at 33/1.

The 6yo gelding had very uninspiring form in point-to-point's pulling up on his three starts, the last of which came over a year ago at Cloyne.

Diarmuid Ryan who trains the gelding, was enjoying his second success on the racecourse, having saddled Betty Is A Lady to win at Gowran back in March, his first racecourse winner.

The 7/2 favourite Regal D'estruval attempt to make all from the front with the winning son of Beau Venture content to sit in behind under amateur, seven pound claimer Micheal Nolan, who was deputising for Shay Barry. He closed on the leader approaching two out and went clear before the straight.

He managed to fend of the challenge of Native Palm (7/1) on the run-in to win by a length at the line. The aforementioned favourite plugged on to take third a further length and three parts back with a thirteen length gap back to the fourth Hidden Diamond

Nick Kiely assistant to the winning trainer said afterwards: "I ride him out at home and had him in his point-to-point's. Obviously Diarmuid does a better job than me!

"We knew he was a nice horse, but he just didn't get the trip in point-to-point's.

"Micheal give him a great ride. He is based with Philip Hobbs in the UK and he is going to go conditional when he goes back over there."

Donal Murphy