Tudor City (noseband) jumping, comes with his winning run under Robbie Power© Photo Healy Racing
After a series of near misses in big handicaps it all came together for Tudor City in the Grade A Guinness Galway Hurdle Handicap at Ballybrit today.
A second success in the hugely valuable event for owner John Breslin, a third for trainer Tony Martin, and a second for jockey Robbie Power, this was a popular win as the victor came in from 12/1 into 10/1 on track, and from bigger earlier.
Breslin won it in 2015 with Quick Jack (Tony Martin as well), whilst the County Meath handler triumphed in 2014 for J P McManus with Thomas Edison.
Meanwhile Power was on the mark in 2013 on the Mick Winters handled Missunited.
Here he was patience personified on Tudor City, and he started to move the Yeats gelding up from towards the back from before the second last.
Power explained: “The plan was to go the shortest way and hope for a bit of luck.
“I was lucky enough to get a bit of space and avoid that schamozzle (entering the back straight).
“I wanted to get on Band Of Outlaws tail as I saw him as the horse to beat.
“He jumped the second last well and then put his head down to go through the gap on the run-in.”
That gap came between eventual second and third, Due Reward and Band Of Outlaws, and half a length and three parts of a length eventually split them at the line.
Tony Martin won many big prizes with Tudor City's dam, She's Our Mare, including the 1999 Cambridgeshire at Newmarket.
He said: "It's brilliant and everything worked out so well. His mother own a Cambridgeshire but was a short-runner and barely got two miles and he was likewise until this year but came of age this year and finished out his races.
"They went no gallop but luckily Puppy (Robbie Power) had the patience and the nerve to sit and wait and it all worked out. That's why he is the jockey he is and there are only a few of them who can do that and fortunately we had his services today.
"Him and the likes of Anibale Fly are the sort of horses you get up for every morning. We had a few lean years and things weren't the best but him winning and Anibale Fly finishing second in the Gold Cup was just brilliant and they are the days you work for.
"The Breslins are great people and my father was a very good friend of John's and introduced me to him before he died 19 years ago. John came to me the Galway two years after and put a few horses with me and it has gone from strength to strength since.
"We wouldn't have the horses we have had in the past but we have a few nice ones and have some right good owners who are loyal and they are keeping us going.
"He is in tomorrow night and you wouldn't know what we might do; I wouldn't rule it out and we'll see how he is in the morning. He'll go home as we are two hours away and he'd be better off in his own surroundings at home. We'll make our minds up at 10 or 11 in the morning."
The Stewards enquired into an incident on the bend past the stands involving Stratum (GB), ridden by C.P. McNamara, unplaced, Davids Charm ridden by P.T. Enright, placed fourth, Chosen Mate ridden by D.N. Russell, unplaced, Hearts Are Trumps ridden by J.S. McGarvey, placed sixth and Gardens Of Babylon ridden by D.J. O'Keeffe, unplaced, where it appeared that Chosen Mate and Gardens Of Babylon were badly hampered. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that the incident was caused by C.P. McNamara failing to take sufficient effort to avoid causing interference this being careless riding under Rule 214. Having taken his previous record into consideration the Stewards suspended C.P. McNamara for 3 racedays.
D.N. Russell, rider of Chosen Mate trained by Gordon Elliott, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount clipped heels at the hurdle after the stands and a short distance later was badly hampered on the bend past the stands .
D.J. Mullins, rider of Sayo (GB) trained by W.P. Mullins, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount was pulled up having never travelled during this race.
(TW & EM)
