18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure
icon
Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Arbre De Vie delights Mullins in Galway

Sun 6th Aug 2017, 17:31

Arbre De Vie, left, in action at GalwayArbre De Vie, left, in action at Galway
© Photo Healy Racing

Willie Mullins saddled his 11th winner of Galway Festival week as Arbre De Vie overturned stablemate Shaneshill in the extended two mile six chase.

Arbre De Vie joined Shaneshill after the last and was going much the better on the uphill run for home.

He found more for Paul Townend to win by six lengths at 9/4. Shaneshill was the 4/9 favourite.

Shaneshill had finished second in the Galway Plate on Wednesday to Arbre De Vie's sixth.

Ruby Walsh survived a bad blunder by front-running Shaneshill five out.

Willie Mullins said: "That's a nice race for Arbre De Vie to open his account over fences. He will probably go down the novice route and I'd imagine that Shaneshill will go for the Kerry National.

"Ruby did very well to stay on board and it was a fair performance by rider and the horse not to fall. He was probably a shade unlucky not to win.

"We have had a great week. The Galway Hurdle was a bit disappointing and we went close in the Plate. Riven Light was a bit unlucky but I think we have had the rub of the green all week so we can't complain."

This gave Mullins a double as Ben Button won race two on the card.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.