Current Option approaches the winning post© Photo Healy Racing
Gavin Ryan sealed a fifth winner of Galway Festival week on board Current Option in the feature race of the final day - the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Ahonoora' Handicap over seven furlongs.
He teamed up again with Ado McGuinness just as the pair did with Saltonstall to land the Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap on Tuesday at the festival.
Current Option had been given a good word by McGuinness when he was interviewed before Tuesday's feature, but the four-year-old gelding came home 14th behind his stablemate. It was a different result today, though.
He crept into contention on the rail racing to the two pole and got a lovely split between horses with a furlong to go.
Ryan didn't need to be asked twice as he sent his mount into the lead with 150 yards to travel.
Current Option (15/2) galloped home to beat Njord into second again just as his stablemate Saltonstall did by the narrowest margin on Tuesday.
Njord (7/4f) finished his race off well but went down by a neck. On A Session (12/1) took third, a length off the front pair. Magnetic North rounded out the places in fourth at 14/1.
Ado McGuinness said: “He’s a very good horse and will probably go to Stakes company now.
“His work and Saltonstall’s was like chalk and cheese. The other horse came out and won the other day but the draw killed this horse. The draw is crucial here.
“The kid was very good on him again and I’ve had a week I’ll never forget with three winners.
“The Dooley’s and Bart (O’Sullivan), who started it all off, I have to really thank and the Shamrock boys are involved in this horse as well.
“I thought when he got 5lb (for finishing second) at the Curragh that it would goose us for Galway but I was wrong and he (the handicapper) was right!
“I’ve never won a Stakes race before, so hopefully I have a few horses that are capable of doing it now.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
