Jim Gorman and Chris Hayes successfully teamed up to both open their accounts at the 2011 Galway Festival as Kingdomforthebride just touched off odds-on favourite Makalali and then survived a stewards enquiry in the Guinness 17:59 EBF Auction Maiden.
The pair fought out a gripping finish to the seven furlongs juvenile event, with the 7/2 second favourite just getting her head in front on the line.
The head-on camera showed Makalali (9/10fav) edged out from the rail under a right-hand drive from Wayne Lordan, while the winner gave him a bump in the closing stages.
It appeared a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other, and the stewards agreed after their deliberations and confirmed the placings. Love Is The Key (5/1) finished well just half a length back in third.
Aidan O'Ryan represented Gorman saying, “She's had plenty of runs but she's tough, and the ground was plenty quick enough for her. She ran well at the Curragh last time on soft ground she likes considering she also lost a shoe.”
Alan Magee
