Georgie, in red, jumps the last in second at Galway before staying on well to win© Photo Healy Racing
Georgie served up a 28/1 surprise in the opening two mile two furlongs handicap hurdle at Galway when staying on stoutly up the hill to deprive Tribes And Banner (9/2 from 7/1 in the morning).
Only one horse went off at bigger odds in the 13-runner contest than the Martin Cullinane-trained Georgie and that was Theatre Gold at 33/1, but the seven-year-old gelding in the tongue-strap belied his odds under a powerful drive from Conor Maxwell.
Tribes And Banner hit the front two out and a good jump there saw him take a couple of lengths out of his rivals. Georgie appeared to be toiling and booked for second place but after jumping the last he kept on strongly in the last 100 yards to deny Charlie Swan’s charge by three parts of a length.
“I’m delighted. We have the horse a long time and I thought the ground was too soft today,” local trainer Martin Cullinane said.
“We are only 15 minutes out the road. The horse is in fairly good form so we decided to take our chance today.
“He got an absolutely brilliant ride.” Cuteasafox finished third at 12/1 while Yachvili ruined his chance by planting himself at the start and finally starting a hurdle behind the main bunch.
Georgie had previously finished ninth of 10 runners in a mile and two flat maiden at Roscommon on 9 July and 12th of 15 in a Ballinrobe handicap hurdle over two and a half miles in May. Two In A Row was sent off the 5/2 favourite, but finished fifth.
(on course reporting by Thomas Weekes)
