Green cap Davy Russell on winner Balko Des Flos as Devils Bride comes to grief© Photo Healy Racing
Gigginstown House Stud continued their domination of the Ballybrit summer highlight as Balko Des Flos ran out a good winner of the TheTote.com Galway Plate.
The well-touted 6/1 chance could be picked out moving well throughout the extended two and three quarter miler under Davy Russell.
A second winner in three years for Henry de Bromhead after Shanahan's Turn in 2015, Russell sent Balko Des Flos for the line from the final fence.
Russell was winning his first Plate, and he had to drive his mount out fully to contain gambled-on favourite Shaneshill (mistake two out) by four and three parts of a length. Slowmotion was three parts of a length back in third whilst Gigginstown also had the fourth home, A Toi Phil Sandymount Duke was just a length and a quarter back in fifth.
"It was brilliant and I'm delighted. He got super ride and I can't believe we've won it again — it's amazing," said de Bromhead.
"He did it really well and hopefully he's an improving horse.
"You were certainly starting to think you had a right chance bar a fall or something nasty happening (from some way out).
"Davy was brilliant on him but everything went our way today.
"We'll make a plan after I speak to Eddie and Michael (O'Leary).
"It was bottomless the day he won in Fairyhouse so he seems to go on anything really.
"It was great to see him handle that so well. I was a little bit concerned about the ground to be honest — that it might be too good for him."
Davy Russell - "I asked Davy Roche (de Bromhead's assistant) if he'd stay and he said he'd stay no problem.
"His jumping was great and very economical.
"He got there easy enough and winged the last two. I thought I'd got there way too soon but you can't give away an advantage like that.
"I had to get stuck into him on the run-in but he was very brave up against that hill.
"The credit for this win should really go to Kevin O'Ryan (agent) as I left it to him and it was really him that got me the ride."
P. Townend, rider of Haymount trained by W.P. Mullins, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount made a bad mistake at the second fence past the stands and was pulled up.
J.J. Burke, rider of Three Kingdoms trained by D. K. Weld, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount stopped to a walk in the straight.
(AM & EM)
