It could have been even better had his runner-up, Golden Spear landed the feature, but it's still fair to say that Tony Martin made Galway his own at the fifth stage of the summer festival as he fired in a 143/1 treble.

Fran Berry was on the Martin winner half-an-hour earlier - Tudor City - and it was Berry too that got Dark Crusader home by a length and a quarter in the concluding Guinness Race.

Adrian Heskin was on the Martin scorer at the start of the programme, Barry Connell's 14/1 hope Vive La France but Dark Crusader (7/4) was more expected and Dermot Weld's odds-on Good Tradition couldn't live with her inside the final furlong.

"These are the great days and it's days like this you dream of," declared Martin.

"It was just a pity the rain came for Golden Spear (runner-up in the feature) but it's great for this mare as she doesn't win very often. She'll go to York for the good fillies (and mares) race in late August."

He added: "Overall my horses have all run very well and I've great owners with a better class of horse now. I've good staff and Barry Potts does a great job running things at home.

"I've five more (runners) tomorrow and another five on Sunday and have plenty in there with squeaks."

Of course Martin had the high of sending out his second Galway Hurdle winner in succession yesterday, Quick Jack.

(TW & EM)