Captain Jimmy and Aaron Anderson (nearest) win from My Friend The Wind © Photo Healy Racing
Captain Jimmy just prevailed in a driving finish to repeat last year's victory in the Glenman Corporation Handicap Chase at Galway.
The Pat Kelly-trained gelding won the race 12 months ago but had a couple of below par efforts subsequently and was making his first start since pulling up at Limerick in March.
UK based claimer Aaron Anderson produced his mount to challenge at the final fence in the two-mile-six contest and he battled it out with My Friend The Wind down the straight.
The eventually runner-up proved a tough nut to crack and Captain Jimmy had to pull out all the stops to record a neck success at odds of 10/1.
"He won this race last year, it is the only race he has ever won and the track and trip are ideal for him,” said the trainer's son and assistant Tony.
“He was running off the back of a break and we are only a small yard, so we wouldn't have them as ready as the bigger yards but he was in good form."
"Aaron gave him a lovely ride and is a local lad and is doing quite well in England at the moment. He is from across the road in Castlegar, was home for a wedding and that's his first ride in Galway.
"I knew him from when I was riding in the UK as well and it is great for him."
He added:- "We have six to ten horses in training and keep it small. We had a couple of really good years with good horses and are rebuilding now with young horses who take time.
"New owners are hard to come by but Declan (Cunningham) is a good man and we'd be lost without him."
(Quotes by Tom Weekes)
