The contented grin across the face of Peter Casey was the enduring image at Galway today where the Co Meath trainer landed the E130,000 McDonogh Handicap with his homebred filly Palace Star.
Ridden by 17 year old apprentice Rory Cleary, Palace Star tracked the leaders before launching his challenge entering the straight, striking the front inside the final furlong for a narrow win over Amourallis.
Afterwards Casey beamed 'that's my biggest win and we did fancy her. She won well at The Curragh on her last start, had a nice weight, the ground made no difference to her and we had the right man on her back!'
Owner Seamus Murphy, a property developer from Balbriggan, was on hand to mention that Palace Star will now be aimed at a Listed race.
The sight of Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy fighting out a finish at the Galway Festival is something every racing fan relishes and the opening maiden hurdle provided such a result with Ruby's mount The Posh Paddy beating off the challenge of Laurel View, under McCoy.
The Posh Paddy's trainer Tony Mullins later reported that 'the horse looks a fair animal. He can only improve from that although his jumping was a little deliberate early on.'
Talking sense always pays and 10/1 shot Talking Cents' win in the Albatros Plant Nutrition Chase left supporters of joint favourites Ross Moff and Quinze baffled.
Jockey Mick Fitzgerald was recording his first Galway Festival winner while the win meant the winning owner, Seamus Ross Jnr, was beating Ross Moff, a horse owned by his father of the same name.
Pat Hughes is a member of the Galway 'usual suspects' brigade and Loyal's win in the McDonogh Builders Trade Centre Handicap was his latest plunder in handicap company.
Another signed up member to that club is Kevin Prendergast who trained his third winner at the Festival when newcomer Right Key landed the two year old fillies' maiden.
John Oxx's Caradak was a very impressive winner of the concluding three year old maiden, sprinting clear of his rivals for a four and a half length success under Michael Kinane.
Again, the crowd figure of 23,280 was up over 2,000 from last year and leaves one wondering how many people will turn up on Thursday!
