Western Victory and Declan Queally© Photo Healy Racing
Declan Queally, a successful amateur both on the point-to-point field and under rules, has announced that he intends to turn professional after a big race win aboard Western Victory at Gowran this afternoon.
The 32-year-old County Waterford-based rider, who has partnered 228 winners in point-to-points and a further 62 under rules, stated his intention after giving Western Victory a polished ride to land the BetVictor Pat Walsh Memorial Irish EBF Mares Hurdle at Gowran.
Queally, whose brother Tom has enjoyed a successful riding career and will forever be associated with the great Frankel, said: “I’ve a lot of miles on the clock point-to-pointing but I’m still only 32 and have a good team of horses and staff. We have about 40 horses in at the moment.
“I started training because I wasn’t riding enough and when we’ve built up to where we are now I can be competitive and I’m enjoying it.”
Queally was seen to great effect on Western Victory, who took up the running around halfway and built up a big lead by three out.
The eight-year-old mare kept up a strong gallop in the straight and was strong at the finish of this two-mile Listed race to beat the Gordon Elliott-trained pair Say Goodbye and Make My Heart Fly by ten lengths and three and three quarter lengths respectively.
Queally said of the 11/4 chance: “She stays all day and at this level she is hard to beat.
“The plan was to make it a real test and that’s why I rode her as if I went too quick I could blame no one only myself.
“She has been some flagbearer for the yard and we owe her a lot.
“She will probably go to a broodmare sale in a few months time. She is so versatile, any trip and any ground.
“She’s a half-sister to Tell Us More so she has it all going for her and should make a few quid.”
