De Mazzaro (red and white) wins under Darragh O'Keefffe © Photo Healy Racing
De Mazzaro (7/2 fav, from as big as 11/1 in the morning) gained reward for a string of consistent placed efforts when recording a breakthrough victory in the featured W.B. Gavin & Co. Handicap Hurdle.
As in the previous maiden hurdle, four hurdles were omitted due to the low-lying sun leaving just five to be jumped.
The winner was produced at the last by Darragh O’Keeffe, and led inside the final furlong to defeat Top Moon (4/1) by three lengths, with the long-time leader Velocity Boy (20/1) another two and three quarter lengths away in third.
The five-year-old winner, by So You Think, was in off bottom weight and received 19lbs from the year younger runner-up. He’d been getting closer to a first victory, having been placed on his previous four starts over hurdles, including a good third at the Festival here in August.
"I might be a bit ambitious, said winning trainer Tom McCourt, but the plan coming here today was to bring him to the November meeting at Cheltenham, if he was to run well in this.
"If he is in similar form he'll do that.
"Galway is a great place for him to break his maiden tag."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
