Galway report and previewAnsar and jockey Denis O'Regan proved yet again that experience and youth can be the perfect sporting mix with a remarkable success in yesterday's Hewlett-Packard Galway Plate.
Despite topweight of 12st, Ansar powered to a seven-length triumph over Ursumman and Light On The Broom to become only the sixth horse to win the famous summer chase in successive years.
Afterwards one bookmaker went just 10 to 1 about a three-in-a-row in 2006, but even if he now sits back, dons the slippers and refuses to budge from in front of the feed-pot, Ansar has already carved out his own special place in Galway history.
Yesterday was a seventh victory from nine starts on the track. The haul includes a memorable triumph in the 2001 Guinness Hurdle, a race on the flat, and a pair of wins in the Plate that threatens to redefine the phrase "course specialist". In the circumstances then Weld was entitled to feel more than a little miffed on Monday evening when he revealed that he wasn't able to secure a jockey for his diminutive star.
"There were a few that didn't want to ride him: too much weight, other horses," explained the master Galway trainer yesterday. But at Ballybrit, the normal parameters don't apply when it comes to Ansar. Those few jockeys who passed up on the chance were no doubt painfully reflecting on that as Weld celebrated a fourth Plate triumph exactly 49 years to the day after his father Charlie won it with Highfield Lad.
Weld eventually plumped for the services of the 23-year-old claimer Denis O'Regan. A 3lb allowance made the Youghal-born rider an attractive proposition for a small horse with a big weight. But the way O'Regan reacted to his opportunity speaks volumes for his future.
O'Regan had Ansar in Position A throughout, on the inside and just off the pace. Not even the frantic surge down to the final two fences could shift him and as Ursumman and the outsider Light On The Broom came under pressure, Ansar surged clear.
"I know he had 12st, but he won as if he could carry another 12," grinned O'Regan who flies out to Australia tomorrow as part of a visiting Irish jockeys team. "He is a serious horse and Mr Weld made me feel very comfortable about riding him."
An international trip could feature in Ansar's future, too, but first Weld and owner Kay Devlin from Armagh will have to decide if the horse will try and repeat his Hurdle triumph in this afternoon's big race.
"Unlikely, but I will have to speak to the owner," was the Weld line yesterday, along with a determination to come back for the Plate again next year. Significantly though it could be off a very different preparation.
"There's a valuable two miles, six furlongs chase in Japan (the Nakayama Grand Jump) next spring and Ansar is so adaptable he could be ideal for it," said Weld. "He's an amazing horse, a joy to train, and I thought Denis gave him a super ride." Ansar returned the favour with a vengeance, however, and became just the fourth horse in the last 50 years to win the Plate with 12st or more.
After a blank day on Tuesday, Weld's festival juggernaut resumed its usual tempo as Nina Carberry guided Navajo Chieftain to an ultimately easy victory in the amateur maiden.
"She's a smashing rider and she actually won it in the first furlong. The horse is a big, lazy bugger and she went in there and fought for her position," said Weld.
Weld is more used to Galway's winner's enclosure than anyone but it will also hold a special place for the Brazilian jockey Valdir Rodrigo De Souza who rode his first ever winner in Ireland on Peculiar Prince in the three year old handicap.
De Souza (32) is a double winner of the Brazilian Derby, and has won eight Group One races in his homeland, but he is also among the crop of Brazilian riders who have come to Europe on the back of the poor economic state of racing in the South American country in recent years.
His work permit means he can only ride for trainer Liam McAteer and yesterday's win was a first from only five rides. De Souza, from Rio De Janeiro, didn't get the chance to walk the track, and put up 3lb overweight, but it made no difference as Peculiar Prince battled to a neck defeat of Misima Sunrise.
Yesterday's crowd of 28,037 was not a record for the Galway Plate day, but it was still a 400 increase on last year and they made their presence felt in the betting ring.
Betting with the bookmakers alone topped the €3m mark at €3,007,003 which was up almost half a million on last year. That included €591,789 on the Plate alone. The Tote turnover of €1,535,355 was marginally up on 2004 and, like the bookmakers, set a new Wednesday record.
Yesterday's jackpot was not won and a pool of over €66,000 was carried forward to today.
