Dermot Weld landed the big race on the opening day of the Galway Festival when top-weight Ghimaar won the carlton.ie/galwaycity Handicap.

Weld is the undisputed king of Ballybrit and he was winning the contest for the third successive year, while Robbie McNamara was making it back-to-back victories in the saddle.

Ghimaar (10-1), who also won at the meeting last season, was never far off the moderate pace and quickened clear on the final bend before holding Evening Rushour by two and a half lengths.

Weld had already sent out Stunning View a promising second in a hot Curragh maiden on his debut, to land an emphatic victory as 4-9 favourite for the radissonhotelgalway.com (C & G) EBF Maiden.

Pat Smullen always looked in control as he sat just off the pace and he asserted in the straight to dismiss Ballydoyle challenger Banyan Tree by three lengths to get Weld off the mark for the meeting in a race he farms.< Tellelle ran out a game winner of the claregalwayhotel.ie Handicap under 5lb claimer Danny Mullins.

Settled in second for much of the way, Liam McAteer's 9-1 shot led on the turn into the straight and kept going strongly to hold her only challenger, Out Of Honour by one and a half lengths.

The card began with two races over jumps and Moonlight Sapphire dug deep to win the opening ghotel.ie & hotelmeyrick.ie Novice Hurdle in the hands of Sean McDermott.

The John O'Shea-trained four-year-old, wearing first-time blinkers, was prominent all the way and looked a sitting duck as Weld's Gratified tracked her into the straight.

But the 6-1 shot led over the last and would not be denied, pulling out more to hold on by a length.

Punchestown Festival winner No One Tells Me followed up in the galwaybayhotel.com Handicap Hurdle.

Jessica Harrington's filly took it up at the second-last flight and was called on for maximum effort as Right Or Wrong threw down a strong challenge.

The 9-2 favourite was driven clear by Robbie Power and stayed on strongly to score by two lengths.