Early Doors supplied owner JP McManus with a seventh success in the Tote Galway Plate on Wednesday evening.
It was a first success over fences for the inexperienced 7-1 shot who, despite lining up in his first handicap, came through under jockey Mark Walsh to beat the 4-1 favourite Royal Rendezvous by three parts of a length.
Back in third was the 33-1 outsider Cabaret Queen and while a perfectly named Galway winner looked possible when The West’s Awake led around the bend that 66-1 shot ultimately faded to fourth.
It was The West’s Awake’s trainer Edward O’Grady who supplied McManus with his first win in the summer’s most valuable steeplechase through Shining Hope all of 42 years previously.
His latest Plate hero was produced by Joseph O’Brien who completed the big festival double having won the Galway Hurdle with Tigris River in 2017.
The 27-year-old trainer emulated his father, Aidan, who won the Plate back-to-back with Life Of A Lord in 1995-96 prior to starting his record-breaking career on the flat from Ballydoyle.
“Experience was the big question mark but we were delighted to see the rain coming today. That was a big help to him and Mark gave him a fantastic ride, got into a great rhythm.
“I was a bit worried when he missed the second last but knew he’d be coming home well.
“I remember years ago always hearing about Life Of A Lord winning the race a couple of times for Dad so it’s a very special race to win,” O’Brien said.
It was a second Plate for Walsh who won on McManus’s Bob Lingo in 2012. Barry Geraghty’s recent retirement could make him an even more central cog in the McManus operation although Walsh has essentially been the owner’s main rider in Ireland over recent years.
“He won the Martin Pipe in Cheltenham two seasons ago so he always had the ability there. He’s taken his time getting jumping but the cheek-pieces were a big help to him today. They really sharpened him up,” he said.
“It’s brilliant. It feels like a long time since Bob Lingo won this race and the older you get the more you appreciate it.
“It’s just unfortunate the crowds and the owners can’t be here to see it. But I don’t mind too much, I’m after winning the race again!” Walsh added.
In contrast it was a race to forget for Gordon Elliott whose ante-post favourite Galvin was scratched having arrived at the track with a bruised foot. His stable companion The Storyteller was pulled up early while another Elliott hope, The Big Lense, fell.
Elsewhere however Elliott did land a first and last race double through The Very Man and Weseekhimhere who belied weakness in the market to land the concluding bumper.
Willie Mullins came up just short in the big race after Royal Rendezvous closed on the winner all the way to line having been slightly hampered on the turn up the hill.
Earlier Royal Rendezvous' jockey Paul Townend was twice on the mark for Mullins when Kaatskill Nap landed a maiden and the French import Bon Retour made a winning Irish debut in a handicap hurdle.
The first National Hunt action of the week behind closed doors also saw the champion jumps trainer win the mares bumper with the 1-2 favourite Shewearsitwell.
“This mare has been working very well at home and I think she’ll win plenty more races. She was very professional out in front and has plenty of gears. She could be a black type mare,” reported Patrick Mullins.
Earlier the 14-1 shot Mrs Milner got the better of another Mullins runner, Jazzaway, to land a mares handicap hurdle in which the well-backed favourite Dinard Rose came home last of the finishers.
“I was worried would she get home up the hill but all she did was stay. She’ll get further and riding her handy seems to suit. She’ll go chasing sooner rather than later,” said Mrs Milner’s trainer, Paul Nolan.
