Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- irishracing.com
- Cheltenham
- News
- Weld/Smullen/Aga Khan make it 2 at Galway
Weld/Smullen/Aga Khan make it 2 at Galway
Simmanka (right) gets the better of Rayisa
© Photo Healy Racing
In first time blinkers Simannka (9/4 favourite) really knuckled down in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Median Auction Fillies Maiden, to touch off her fellow Aga Khan runner, Rayisa (well-backed 5/2 shot), at Galway.
Simannka's win was bringing up a double for Dermot Weld, Pat Smullen, and indeed the Aga Khan, following the win of Ebediyin in the first, and she got the better of Michael Halford's Rayisa by a head.
Rayisa had looked a possible winner when getting the better of Verbosity from a furlong out, but Simannka just wasn't to be denied in the closing stages.
"She deserved that. She was running very consistent and the concern was the outside draw (stall twelve)," acknowledged Weld.
"I think she is a better filly than you saw here the last day, she ran second and I knew there was more there.
"We put blinkers on her the other morning, and they sharpened her up well, and I thought they would help her a lot this evening.
"I'd say that is it for her this year. She will come back next year for a Guineas trial and she appreciated the ease in the ground."
(DM & EM)