Yavana's Pace sluiced through the extremely testing ground to give the top English rider Darryl Holland a winner on his first visit to Galway in yesterday's Listed Ardilaun Oyster Stakes.
Generally it was an afternoon when guts and determination were at a premium, but the much-improved Yavana's Pace, formerly trained by Pat Flynn and Michael Cunningham and a winner at this meeting three years ago, put in a performance of some class.
Turning away from the stands, Holland surprisingly sent the Mark Johnston-trained gelding past the favourite Stage Affair, and afterwards controlled the race from the front. Stage Affair was beaten in the dip, but although Golden Rule and Enzeli lasted longer, Holland guided the raider to the stands rail and the pair ran out very easy, seven-length winners.
"Usually he races from behind but there was no pace and I thought lets be positive. It's very nice to come to Galway for the first time and have a winner," Holland said, before adding: "The ground wasn't really a problem for me as I was in front and my horse has won on it before."
Stage Affair, gelded since his last race, couldn't act on the going at all, and Dermot Weld said: "There is every possibility of him still running in the Irish Leger, but the likelihood of going for the Melbourne Cup is remote."
Weld and Michael Kinane had compensation for Stage Affair's defeat when Port Bayou, a first European winner for Kentucky-based Ken Ramsey, also came up the stands rail to win the Long Walk Maiden by a very easy six lengths. But their day ultimately turned sour when Raghdan broke a leg in the Nursery.
The colt was at the rear of the field before the two furlong pole when he put his foot in a hole and shot Kinane out of the saddle. Rainbows Forever also raced in the rear, but stayed on well for Stephen Craine to beat General Cloney by a length and a half.
Kinane was unhurt but amateur James Boland was less fortunate. His mount in the bumper, Entour, fell on the turn in and then brought down Ten Four. Boland was taken to the University Hospital in Galway with a fractured right collar bone and an ankle injury after a fall that the Turf Club medical officer Dr Walter Halley described as "horrendous". The newcomer and favourite, Concubhair, battled on gamely to win the race by half a length from Rash Remark.
Enda Bolger's 1 to 2 favourite Aglish Pride was found to be in season after finishing only third in the novice chase, but Ruby Walsh reported: "She was off the bridle the whole way and hated the ground." Bolger's second string Platonic-My-Eye filled the breach, however, and ran out a 9 to 1 winner under Jason Titley. "He acted on the ground and the mare didn't, simple as that," said Bolger.
The Galway track manager, John Maloney, was optimistic yesterday evening that the track would pass a 7.0 a.m. precautionary inspection this morning. "We will move the rails in and use fresh ground," he said.
